


Flowers Don't Grow

by Living_Pretty



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: Adventure & Romance, F/M, Romance, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-16
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-21 03:36:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 151,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4813460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Living_Pretty/pseuds/Living_Pretty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What’s your name?” He asked before he could stop himself. She opened one eye and peered at him from under her arm that she’d draped across her face. <br/>“Posey, Posey Bennett.”<br/>“Posey?” He raised an eyebrow, “What kind of a name is that?”<br/>She glared at him, “A name my mother chose, she thought the world could use more flowers.”<br/>He looked at her for a moment before letting out slight scoff.<br/>"Flowers don't grow in the wasteland, sweetheart."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sweet Child O' Mine

Chapter One

Sweet Child O' Mine

**She's got a smile that it seems to me**  
**Reminds me of childhood memories**  
**Where everything**  
**Was as fresh as the bright blue sky**  
**Now and then when I see her face**  
**She takes me away to that special place**  
**And if I stared too long  
** **I'd probably break down and cry**

**Sweet child o' mine  
** **Sweet love of mine**

**...**  
**She's got eyes of the bluest skies**  
**As if they thought of rain**  
**I hate to look into those eyes  
** **And see an ounce of pain**

**Sweet child o' mine  
** **Sweet love of mine**

* * *

 

James Bennett had done many praiseworthy things in his life. He'd founded a life changing science experiment, fell in love and married a beautiful women, and become a gifted physician. Yet he had never felt a stronger surge of pride than at this moment, when he held his firstborn child. "Catherine!" He exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement, "Catherine, we have a daughter!" Above his surgical mask, his eyes practically glowed with happiness, the skin around them wrinkling due to his enormous smile, hidden behind the mask.

James looked from the squalling infant in his arms up to the pale wan face of his wife, who smiled back, despite her obvious pain. "James, let me see her." Carefully, as if the infant were made of glass, the doctor reached over and placed the baby in her mother's arms. Catherine cooed appreciatively and touched a finger to the baby's cheek. "Oh," she crooned, "She's beautiful."

"Isn't she?" Said James, joining his wife at the head of her bed and smiling down at the pair of them.

In truth, the newborn was bright red and had her face screwed up in an almighty wail and was far from beautiful. Not that it mattered to two adoring parents. The child could have been bright purple and have a pig snout instead of a nose and they would still have thought her to be the most priceless treasure in all the world.

"Doctor," Said a nurse, "The image is done loading." the man turned the screen to face the parents and Catherine said, "My goodness, she  _is_ beautiful."

The face projected on the screen was much closer to what someone who wasn't prenatally biased would think of as beautiful. She was the perfect combination of her parents, leaning a little closer to her father. They had similarly high cheekbones, long sloping noses ending in a subtle point and deep set eyes. He father's features were thicker, and the girls were delicate, she looked fragile, made of spun sugar. She had her mother's fine, thick hair and large eyes with thick lashes but her father's coloring. Pale blonde locks and bright blue eyes. Eyes the color of what the sky should have been.

"She...she looks like you." Said Catherine weakly.

"But she has your lips." Said James affectionately, tugging down his mask and tipping his wife's chin up to plant a kiss on her full lips.

There was a frantic beeping and Catherine's eyes fluttered shut, "James.." She mumbled, and the doctor's eyes sharpened and he quickly took the baby and handed her to a nurse,

"I need twenty milligrams of that nurse. Catherine, Catherine listen to me. You need to stay with me, please stay with me." For the first time since the heart monitor went off, James's voice cracked.

"Posey.." She said numbly, looking around with blank eyes.

"What?" Said James, leaning closer.

"The baby, Posey."

"Posey, of course love." There were tears in his eyes as the others bustled about with medical equipment he knew was too outdated to work.

"The world could use more flowers." Catherine said, finally locking eyes with her husband. Her face was pale, too pale, and when she took his hand, and pressed it to her lips, it took too long for the blood to flow back into them, causing them to flush back to red. James nodded silently not trusting his voice.

"Doctor her levels are dropping."

"James." Her voice was just above a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"Catherine." His voice broke and he ducked his head, taking her hand and pressing it to his cheek, "Please..."

"She's gone into cardiac arrest!" Shouted a nurse to his left.

"Catherine...Catherine!"

Behind him, despite the nurses gentle shushing noises, their child wailed.

* * *

"Well, Posey my love." James Bennett's voice was low and rough, and his eyes red rimmed. "It looks as though it's just you and I now."

The baby slumbered on, eyes peacefully closed. "What sort of world have I brought you into?" He said in a strangled voice, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Posey, I'm so sorry."

Unaware of her father's grief, the baby slept on. She didn't know her mother was gone, or that her father was within an ounce of giving up on everything that he had his wife had worked for. Everything except, "You." He said, looking down at the sleeping child. "You're all I've got left now. And I don't intend on that changing anytime soon." He kissed her soft forehead. "I'll keep you safe. I promise."

There was a soft knock on the door and James looked up to see Doctor Madison Li entering the small room he was sitting in. "James, I'm sorry to disturb you." She said softly. James looked back down at the baby in his arms and said, "It's quite alright Madison."

"I'm so sorry about Catherine."

James closed his eyes at the mention of her name, but other than that made no mention of his wife's passing.

"I can't do this anymore." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

"I can't do this anymore, Madison." He repeated, louder this time.

"But," Doctor Li's face registered nothing but shock. "James," She pleaded, stepping forward, "We're so close!"

"I'm sorry." Said James simply, getting to his feet. He looked around at the room where he and his wife had been staying and started packing up his meager belongings into a leather backpack, leaving the baby swaddled on the bed.

"You can't give up now James!" She hissed, stepping forward. "It's not what Catherine would have-"

"You don't know what Catherine would or would not have wanted." James snapped, for the first time in that evening, and truly the first time for as long as Madison Li had known him, showing anger in his usually kind blue eyes. "She would have wanted our child to be  _safe._ And she can't be safe here. My daughter needs me, Madison."

"The world needs you more!"

James shook his head and hiked the backpack up onto his shoulders. He went to the bed and gently lifted his child up and held her close. He looked back at Doctor Li, who looked angry, confused and ultimately just tired. "I'm sorry Madison," He said simply, "But this is goodbye."

"Where will you go?" She demanded, looking on the verge of tears.

"Anywhere, to keep her safe."

* * *

One Year Later

"My goodness Posey." Chuckled James, entering back into the room where he had left his daughter, "Disobeying me already?" He asked. Posey looked up at him and smiled a toothless grin. She was sitting in front of her toy box, the gate to her playpen wide open.

"You're already proving to be a handful." He mumbled, scooping up the toddler. "What am I going to do when you're a rebellious teenager?"

The child grabbed at his nose and cooed unhelpfully and James laughed before pressing a kiss amid the soft covering of wispy blonde hair on the top of her head.

"Look there Posey," He said, crouching down and pointing to a framed phrase on the table. "Revelations twenty one six, your mother's favorite verse 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely'." Posey, of course, didn't do much with this information, just patted the frame, knocking it backwards. James laughed and set it upright and put the squirming child down. "Alright missy, you can walk." He said, watching the child toddle off, "Your mother would have loved to see you grow up Posey, I know she would have." He said, mostly to himself. He pushed himself up onto his feet and held out his hand, "Alright, let's go see if your friend Amanta wants to play." Posey placed a small, dimpled hand in his and together they walked into the vault.

* * *

Nine Years Later

The Good Doctor had watched his daughter grow up under the fluorescent lights of Vault 101 and despite it's many unfavorable aspects, he never regretted bringing his daughter to the Vault. Of course, she had no idea she'd been brought, but he wouldn't let her know this hadn't been her birth place. He already saw the curious flash in her eye when anyone mentioned the outside world, and he'd found several books under her bed about surviving in the wild. Pre-War books of course, so they were outdated and not very helpful when it came to the Capital Wasteland but it was enough to know that she was interested. He tried to assure himself that she had read everything that the vault had to offer, so she was just naturally curious about everything, but he still worried.

It had been years since his wife's death and his move to Vault 101 but he still missed her everyday. He wished Posey could know how wonderful her mother had been, he wished he could adequately explain to her about the project that brought he and Catherine together, but Posey could never know about Project Purity. He knew she would want to help, even at the tender age of nine, she would want to know everything about it, to go and help with the effort, and he couldn't let her leave this place. This place of metal safety and albeit confinement.

He leaned back from the papers he'd been pouring over and groaned, rubbing his tired eyes. He looked to the clock on his Pip-Boy. Five in the morning. He realized with a start that if it was truly the morning, then Posey was no longer nine years old. Today she was ten. An entire decade. "My, where has the time gone." He said to himself, into the empty office.

He knew he should rest, that Posey would be awake soon and wondering what he was working on. So he shuffled the papers into a pile and slipped them into an envelope and got to his feet, looking around the practically sterile vault walls and unforgiving lighting. He walked back through the halls of the vault, using only the flashlight of his Pip-Boy to navigate the dark halls.

"It's a bit late, isn't it doctor?"

James turned to see the Overseer standing with his arms crossed behind him.

"I suppose it is." Said James, his voice nothing but polite, though his skin crawled. Something about this Alphonse had always rubbed him wrong. "But, you of all people should know how paperwork is."

"Indeed I do." He said simply, "Working on Patient reports then?""

"Yes, dreadfully boring I'm afraid."

"May I see them then, I'd like to know how my vault residences are doing."

"Oh," James tightened his grip on the folder and felt his stomach drop. "No, I don't think that would be proper, Overseer. You know, with Doctor Patient confidentiality and all. Some embarrassing things in here."

The Overseer's smile tightened slightly, but he said smoothly, "Of course, you're a good doctor, James."

"Thank you." James nodded and headed his way back up the hall.

"James," Called the Alphonse, and James turned back. In the low lighting, the Overseer's deep set eyes were completely cast into shadow. "Your daughter is ten today, correct?"

"Yes, she is."

"Interesting.." He said slowly. "They grow up so fast, here in the vault, don't they."

"Yes, it does seem that way sometimes."

"She's safe here, remember that, Doctor."

James clenched his jaw tight, and it took all his self restraint to keep his hands from clenching into fists. "I never forget."

"See that you don't, Mr. Bennett."

And with that, the Overseer turned on his heel and disappeared into the dark corridors of the vault.

Slightly unsettled, James returned to his apartments and closed the door behind him. He knew he should keep his notes on Project Purity locked away in the safe in his office, but he wanted to keep them where he could look them anytime he wanted. He'd told Madison he was done with Project Purity, but in truth, he didn't think he could ever give up on Project Purity entirely. It was a bit part of his life, and honestly, almost like a second child to him. Project Purity was important. Not just to him, to the world. He was so close to figuring it out. He knew he could do it. He just needed a little more time. He looked at the dark living room, and saw a slight glow under the door to Posey's room. So he wasn't the only one burning the midnight oil. He crossed to the bedroom and knocked gently. There wasn't a response, so he opened the door.

Posey was asleep on top of her blankets, surrounded by books. She was laying on her stomach, with her cheek pressed against the pages of what he recognized as one of his old medical journals. He had no idea where she'd found all of these volumes. Books weren't exactly plentiful in the vault. Yet she had half a dozen. Some fiction, most nonfiction though, on varying topics, from rebuilding robots to a manual for gardening, which had to be centuries old. James chuckled to himself and set to gathering them up, making a neat stack on her bedside table, where a flashlight remained on, it's beam falling across his daughters face. Her thick lashes were so long they brushed her cheeks with her eyes closed, but they were also blonde and difficult to see without the direct beam of the flashlight on them. Her mouth was open slightly as she slept soundly, pale hair spread messily over her face and books. He gently removed the book from under face and pulled a blanket over her sleeping form. He brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead and placed a kiss where the hair used to be.

He walked back to the door after shutting off her flashlight and stood at the door, looking back at his daughter. Here she could sleep without worry. There was no need to assign someone to first watch. No need to make sure your weapon was within reach. Yes, she was safe here, in the vault. This was the place for her, even if she didn't agree. She was safe here. And that was all that mattered to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first time on A03 and in case you hadn't noticed I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING.
> 
> I'm use to fanfiction.net's format so this is quite different and if any of you guys have any pointers or anything, send 'em my way cuz guys, I'm lost O_O 
> 
> Anyway, ta ta for now! I hoped you enjoyed and thank you so SO much for reading!
> 
> Farewell lovelies!


	2. Growing Up

**Chapter Two**

**“Growing Up Won’t Bring Us Down.”**

**........**

**We never had a chance, I remember that**

**And no matter what we do,**

**We'll never lose what we had growing up.**

**Won't bring us down.**

**Yeah, growing up,**

**It won't bring us down,**

**Growing up won't bring us down**

**Growing up won't bring us down**

**............**

**Graduate, what's a kid to do now?**

**Get away, yeah-ah.**

**We've got so much to prove.**

**Cause it's time to move on**

**And I'm stuck to let go,**

* * *

 

Posey woke with a start, and was unsure why. She was covered by a blanket and her books were stacked neatly on her nightstand. So that meant her dad had discovered her, up past bedtime, again. That would usher in a slight scolding, but she knew he wouldn’t really mean it. He would berate her but his eyes would twinkle and his lips would twitch in an effort to conceal his smile. He loved the fact that she would bury herself with her books. “His Little Bookworm.”

He called her. She sat up, stretching and trying to smooth back her hopelessly tangled blonde locks. She never really cared if her hair was neat or not, and neither did her father, so consequently, Posey ran around like a little ragamuffin, with her boots sloppily tied and her vault suit rumpled. But if anyone minded they didn’t show it, except The Overseer, who made his distaste for her sloppiness known, and Butch Deloria of course, but Posey knew she would never have too high of an opinion in either of their eyes. A fact that seldom bothered her. She had her father, her books, and Amanta. What use did she have for anyone else?

Posey tried to figure out what had woken her up so suddenly. She could hear soft movements in the living room, her father already up and about, but she doubted that was what had awoken her. Then it hit her, it was her birthday! How could she have forgotten her own birthday!? Admittedly, birthdays weren’t made much of in the Vault, but still, you didn’t turn  ten everyday. Posey got to her feet and quickly changed into a fresh vault tec suit, and actually ran a brush through her tangles before stepping out into the living room.

“My goodness.” Said her father, setting his papers down on the coffee table in front of their plain, Vault-issue couch and leaning back, looking at her with his usual kind glimmer in the eyes so similar to her own. “Who is this child with neat hair and tied shoes? You haven’t seen a wild haired hoodlum about, have you miss?”

Posey stuck out her tongue but smiled all the same.

“Nope.” She said, plopping down into the space next to him and placing her chin in her hands and looking up at her father with a mischievous spark in her eyes.

“Hmmm.” Said her father, frowning slightly. “That is most troubling. She’d be about your height, nine years old, blonde hair.”

“Is she pretty?”

“Prettiest girl in the vault.” Posey smiled and her father winked at her. Posey struggled to reign in a giggle.

“You said she’s nine?” She said, in mock solemnity.

“I did.” Said James, looking very serious. Posey considered him for a moment, looking very pensive with her eyebrows drawn together and her eyes narrowed.

“Nope, haven’t seen her.” She said finally, flopping backwards against the couch. James frowned, “Oh, well that’s a real shame, if you do, tell her her father misses her very much.”

“I will. Are you sure she’s nine?”

“Quite sure.”

Posey felt her smile falter.Was he just playing along, or had he really forgotten?   He got to his feet with a sigh, straightening his vault issued suit and saying, “Maybe she’s down in the mess hall, care to keep me company while I look for her?”

“Sure, I guess.” She got up off the couch, a little morose and followed her father down to the mess hall. She supposed she couldn’t be too mad at him. After all, she herself had forgotten about her birthday.

“Here we are,” He said, stopping in front of the door. “After you, miss.” He gestured to the door and Posey pressed the button next to the door that activated it’s opening, and she was greeted by a surprisingly loud chorus of “Happy Birthday!”

Posey jumped about a mile in the air and her father laughed. “Happy Birthday, sweetie.” He said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. “You didn’t think I forgot, did you?”

Posey looked up at him with a grin so large, her nose crinkled and her eyes were almost forced shut.

“Of course not.” She said, shaking her head. Amata Almodovar, Posey’s long time (not to mention sole) friend rushed up to her, smiling almost as wide as the birthday girl herself. “Happy Birthday!” she practically squealed.

“Now Amata,” Chided The Overseer, “give the girl some room.”

Amata obediently backed up and The Overseer stepped forward, a supercilious expression on his face. “Now, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how important this day is. Ten years old.” He said pompously. Behind The Overseer’s back, her father rolled his eyes and Posey bit her lips to keep back a smile.

“You’re old enough now to take on official vault responsibilities, and along with them, your own Pip-Boy 3000.”

Posey’s eyes widened as The Overseer revealed from behind his back a real Pip-Boy.

“Wow!” She said in delight, accepting it with an air of reverence. “Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Overseer, sir.”

“You’re quite welcome, young lady.” He seemed pleased at the excessive honorifics. “I expect to see you tomorrow to report in for your new responsibilities.”

Posey made a mental note to keep track of how many times Overseer Almodovar used the word “Responsibility.”

But for now all she did was nod and hope her smile came off as respectful and grateful rather than amused and mischievous. It seemed to do the trick as The Overseer smiled stiffly and gave her a patronizing pat on the head, causing her father to once again roll his eyes. He came up to her after The Overseer moved on, smiling proudly down at his daughter.

“Look at you,” He said warmly, “Ten years old and with your own Pip-Boy, I couldn’t be more proud.”

“I haven’t done anything really.” She said, looking up at him. He smiled again, “But you will.” He said simply. “Now,” He straightened up and said, a little louder, “don’t stand here gabbing to your old man all day, go on, mingle.” He ruffled her hair fondly and Posey obligingly turned away and ran into the still grinning face of Amata.

“Happy Birthday!” She repeated, positively bouncing with excitement. “We really surprised you, didn’t we! Your dad was afraid you were onto us, but I told him not to worry, you’re so easy to fool!!”

Posey made a face but laughed and said, sincerely, “Thanks Amata, this party is really great.”

“Don’t thank me yet, it was mostly your dad’s idea anyway, but wait till you see what I got you!”

She handed over a comic book, only slightly wrinkled and said, with obvious pride. “Grognak the Barbarian, issue number fourteen, with no missing pages!”

“No way!” Said Posey aghast, taking the comic book with gentle hands, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.

“Yeah! I know!” cried Amata, “I found it in a box of my dad’s old stuff. Can you imagine him reading comic books!”

The girls dissolved into laughter at the thought of Amata’s father, the prim and proper overseer, doing something as frivolous as reading a comic book.

“Alright, I guess you better go socialize with the rest of your party guests. Your dad invited everyone in our grade.” Said Amata, giving Posey a gentle push.

“So six people then.” Said Posey, cracking a smile. Amata laughed and pushed her a little harder this time.

“Go on and make some more friends, you misfit.”

Posey laughed and looked around at her party with an appreciative smile, that dissipated slightly when her eyes landed on Butch Deloria and his bunch of goons. No matter how many times Posey protested Butch hated her, her father always laughed and said, “Oh Posey, no one could hate you. He probably just fancies you and doesn’t want to admit it.”

She loved her father, she really did, and she would always consider him the smartest person she’d ever known, but he could be a real idiot sometimes.

But today was her birthday, and so far, it had been a pretty great one, and she wasn’t going to let some greasy slime ball like Butch make it any less so.

So she ignored the table where he and his idiot friends sat, and instead went and talked to Old Lady Palmer, a sweet old women with kind, dark eyes, who smiled endearingly at her as she approached.

“Hello sweetie, happy birthday!”

Posey smiled back and responded, “Thank you Mrs. Palmer. Thanks for coming to my party.”

“My goodness, ten years old already. My, it seems like only yesterday that your father came here.”

Posey’s eyebrows quirked down slightly, Came here? She thought.

“But don’t listen to me ramble on, you’re here for your present, aren’t you?”

“Oh, you didn’t have to get me anything, Mrs. Palmer. I was just-”

“Oh of course I did, you sweet little thing.” Tittered the old women. “Here,” She handed Posey a small bundle wrapped in thin cloth. Posey could already smell the warm butter and cinnamon smell of a-

“Sweetroll, just for you. Baked fresh this morning, and since it is your birthday, it’s all for you, no sharing required!”

Posey’s mouth watered and she held the bundle up to her nose, taking a moment just to appreciate the tantalizing scent of the sweet, and rare, treat.

“Wow, thank you so much!” Said Posey, “I love sweetrolls!”  
“You are sweet,” Said the old women, actually reaching out and pinching Posey’s cheek. “Run along now, and have fun at your party!”

“Thanks, I will-”

But the rest of Posey’s sentence was cut off as she found herself suddenly splattered with cake and frosting. Posey looked around to see the robot manning the bar,with a circular saw covered in the innards of the cake and bits of icing and pastry spattered around in a circle. Posey laughed and shook her head, she started walking towards the bar but was stopped by an obnoxious, “Hey! Pissy!”

“My name is Posey, Butch.” She said wearily, turning to face her long time bully with an uncharistically ugly look on her usually smiling face. A look mirrored by Butch Dilora, who even at the age of ten, was wearing his black hair slicked back from his face and was rumored to be carrying a switchblade around.

“Yeah whatever,” He said with a sneer. “Hey, I’m hungry, and that stupid robot took out the cake! Give me that sweet roll you got from Old Lady Palmer!”

“Is it your birthday, Butch?” Snapped Posey, “It’s my sweet roll, so shove off.”

“You back talking me, Pissy?” He demanded, getting to his feet and glowering at her.

“Back talking?” Scoffed Posey, “Back talking would insinuate that you are some how superior to me, and I don’t think that’s the case, Bitch.” She smirked, “I’m sorry, Butch.”

Butch was in her face, with fists swinging before she could react, but in his anger he wasn’t very focused. He did however, knock her sweet roll from her hands, which Posey then stepped on in an effort to get a clear shot. Now she was mad, but she didn’t let it get to her head. Despite the adults shouts, who had finally realized what was going on, Posey merely ducked around Butch’s frenzied hits and waited until his arms were down from his face and

_Wham!_

Her tiny fist connected solidly to Butch’s nose, just as solid hand came down on her shoulder. Posey was whirled around to face her father and the look he was giving her was one that was difficult to decode. Posey felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, and her little thrill of victory at blooding Butch’s nose died. A moment ago, he’d been professing his pride, and Old Lady Palmer had been calling her a “Sweet little thing”. Sweet little thing’s, and father’s pride and joys didn’t go punching other kids in the face.

“Dad,” She stuttered out, “Dad I-” Her head ached slightly from the weak punches she’d received and she had a bit of a scratch on her cheek from one of Butch’s nails. He’d even managed to split her lip, but that wasn’t what made her feel horrible.

“Posey,” He said softly, eyebrows knitting in concern. “Why did you hit that boy?”

“I didn’t start it!” The words sounded childish, even to herself, and she hung her head, “I’m sorry Dad, he tried to take my sweet roll, and he kept calling me Pissy, which isn’t even close to my name, and I swear, he hit me first. But...” She looked up at him, and at his eyes that were usually so expressive but were now unreadable and she felt sick suddenly. She’d really let him down, and it had been less than an hour when he had said he was proud of her, that she would make him proud.

“I’m sorry Dad, it’s my fault.” She mumbled, hanging her head and feeling tears sting her eyes.

“My goodness, Posey. Where did you learn to hit like that?”

She jerked her head up, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. “W-what?”

Her father was keeping back a chuckle with difficulty and Posey saw him look around to make sure no one was looking. “Listen, I’m not condoning your act of violence, and I want you to go apologize to Butch, but-” a laugh escaped his lips and he caught his bottom lip in his teeth, “that was a good punch.” He said, flashing her a smile. He saw The Overseer watching the pair and his smile melted. “Now,” He said, a little louder, “Young lady, you go apologize to that boy.” but he shot her a nearly invisible wink. Posey suppressed a grin, which wasn’t difficult because smiling actually hurt. Posey ducked her head and walked over to wear Butch was surrounded by his friends, and Officer Gomez who had glanced over his nose making sure it wasn’t broken.

It wasn’t.

She stepped over the crushed remains of her sweetroll, looking down at it with regret. That was the only casualty from this scuffle she would truly mourn.

“Butch,” She said, shuffling her feet and avoid eye contact. When she did look up at him, she saw eyes full of an astonishing amount of venom for a fellow ten year old.

“What?” He spat, literally, spittle flying from his mouth and landing on her face. She braced herself not to flinch.

“I’m sorry I punched you.” She said, and she herself was surprised at the apology’s sincerity. “I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Yeah you better be sorry!” He snarled. “This isn’t over Pissy!”

A tremor of anger ran threw her but she just glowered back at him before turning and stalking away.

The party kind of broke up after that. Amata shot her a sympathetic look before her father got up and decided it was time for them to leave. Freddy Gomez and his Father gave her a feeble “Happy birthday.” Before heading out. Posey once again felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her father’s familiar face. “Are you ready for your real birthday present?” He asked quietly and Posey perked up slightly. “Another one?” She asked in disbelief.

“Yep, Jonas has it down on the reactor level. Why don’t we go ahead and slip down there. I don’t think anyone will mind.”

“Yeah, I guess decking someone is a pretty good way to end a party.” Said Posey regretfully.

James laughed and slipped an arm around her shoulder bracingly. “I suppose so, come on, my little boxer. This party was cramping our style anyway.” Posey smiled up at him and it was such an innocent expression, her blue eyes positively shining with admiration that it made The Doctor pause for a moment. “Posey?” He said, as they walked out of the mess hall and down the hall towards the reactor level.

“Yeah Dad?”

“You are, without a doubt, my favorite daughter.”

“Oh, well that’s a relief. I was worried there for a moment.”

“Ha Ha.” He said, smiling wryly and ruffling her hair,

“I love you too, Dad.”

Down on the reactor level, her father’s assistant, Jonas, stood waiting for them. He saw Posey and said, with a slight smile on his lips, “What are you doing down here? I didn’t think they allowed kids down on the reactor level.”

“I’m ten years old now Jonas. I’m hardly a child.” Said Posey with a slight air of haughtiness, which she ruined by trying to hold back a laugh which turned into a snort. “Besides,” She said, laughing over her snort now, “I know you have my present down here.”

“Alright, you think she can handle it, Doc?” He asked, smiling and looking towards James.

“Oh, I think so.” Replied James with a nod and a solemn expression on his face. “Are you ready for your surprise, Posey?”

“I was born ready.” Said the girl, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her chin up in a defiant manner, though her eyes still shone with mirth.

“I don’t think so, I would know, I was there.” Replied her father, but he smiled and retrieved something from a metal locker, concealing it behind his back. “However, I will let the hyperbole slide. Very well then, here you go. Your very own BB gun.” He held the small gun aloft, evidently proud of the gift. “I figure if you're old enough for Pip-Boys and “Vault Responsiblities” and fist fights,”

Jonas’s eyebrows went up at that last item on the list.

“You’re old enough for this. Jonas found it down here, in pretty bad shape, and we’ve been working on it for three months, scrounging up parts. Do you know how difficult it is to find a spring that small. Good thing Butch “misplaced” his switchblade.”

Posey let out a delighted laugh as her dad handed her the small firearm. “Wow, a real BB gun!” She ran a hand down it’s shaft and exclaimed, “Thanks Dad! Thanks Jonas!”

“Careful,” warned James, “It’s just a BB gun, but it’s not a toy. I’m trusting that you’re responsible enough for this, am I right?”

Posey nodded fervently and James smiled. “Good, now come see what Jonas and I have rigged up for you.”

He brought his daughter to the makeshift shooting range he and Jonas had created. It was simple enough but Posey’s eyes light up and she held up her gun, ready to try out her new present. Her first few shots went wild as expected, but as she concentrated a little more, slowed down and actually took time to line up her shots, her accuracy improved vastly. Posey laughed in delight as she hit all three targets in a row, causing them to spin around.

“Oh, watch it, I think I hear a radroach.” Said her father, holding up a hand.

Sure enough, the disgusting creature scurried into sight and Posey’s grip tightened on her gun. She hated radroaches, and all kinds of bugs in general. She’d read enough about them to know she wouldn’t like them, even if they were still around.

“You can handle that, can’t you?” He said bracingly, putting an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

“Sure she can.” Said Jonas, “She was taking out those targets no problem.”

“Go ahead sweetie, give it a shot.”

Posey took a steadying breath and took aim at the scurrying creature, watching it flutter its wings with distaste before

_pop pop pop_

Three short blasts later, and that radroach was in pieces.

“Well done!” Said James, clapping appreciatively. “Hey Jonas, I’d like a picture with this big game hunter. Capture the moment.”

Posey stepped closer to her father, pointing her BB gun down at the floor as her father put an arm around her shoulder, both of them facing the camera.

“Smile big.” Said Jonas, redying the device.

“Shouldn’t be hard,” Said Posey, “Seeing as this was the best birthday ever.”

The camera flash went off, capturing a perfectly clear image of Posey and James Bennett, both of them smiling widely, not a care in the world.

* * *

 

Six Years Later

“Posey,” The Doctor’s voice held a warning tone as he closed up his examination kit, “as far as I can tell you’re a perfectly healthy sixteen year old, so yes, you do have to go take your G.O.A.T.” Perfectly healthy indeed. She was well on her way to becoming the beautiful young woman he saw on the computer screen, sixteen years ago, with her well defined cheekbones, mirroring his own, and her fine, light blonde hair reaching past her shoulders now, though it was still just as messy as always and usually partially held back in some half hearted attempt of a bun or ponytail, and her eyes still held a child like spark of curiosity and mischief.

“But Dad,” She protested,

“No buts, it’s something we all had to go through, and you’ll be fine. It’s happened to everyone here in the vault, it goes along with that whole, “Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault,” business.”

Posey scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. “But-”

“You’re going to be late.” Said her father, picking up her medical examination clipboard and making a few notes.

“Do we have to die in the vault?” She inquired, “Can’t we ever leave?” She asked partly because she was curious, and partly because she was stalling. James fixed her with an oddly serious gaze and said, “That’s not the way it works, and it won’t do to go around asking questions like that. Especially not around The Overseer.” Posey looked ready to interrupt but James held up a hand.  “I want to tell you something now. It’s important, so listen closely.” Posey nodded, surprised at the turn this conversation was taking.

“This place, this vault, it’s not perfect, I know. But it is your home. You’re safe here, stay on the good side of The Overseer and you always will be. You understand?” Her father’s eyes were steadily gazing into her own, not a trace of their usual mirth or kindness. He was being oddly firm and somber today. “You need to appreciate all you have,” he continued, “Because what’s up there, on the outside, that’s not the life I want for you, and it’s not what your mother would have wanted for you either.”

Posey started slightly, her father rarely brought up her mother. She could tell he missed her deeply, and it pained him to talk about her, even now.

“Okay,” Said Posey meekly, “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m just nervous.”

The Doctor’s eyes softened and he said warmly, “Don’t be, you’re going to be fine, alright? I’m sure of it.” He patted her knee comfortingly but then said briskly, “Now, go on and take your test. Go on, shoo.” He waved her off his examination table and she grinned, hopping off and slipping out the door, giving him a cheery wave as she did so. James shook his head, smiling to himself before turning back to his clipboard. “Oh my Posey,” He mumbled under his breath, “What am I going to do with you.”

Outside her father’s office, Posey heard the unfortunately familiar tones of Butch Deloria, followed closely by the snap of Amata’s voice. He was bothering her again? She rounded the corner, straightening her spine and setting her jaw tight. She brushed a few flyaway strands of hair out of her eyes and marched straight up to Butch, cutting of his filthy remarks and asking,  “Hey Butch, what’s going on?” she asked cheerfully.

“Piss off, shortie.” He sneered.

“Posey, don’t,” Said Amata, but Posey ignored her.

“What, I’m just curious.”

“This don’t concern you blondie, so unless you wanna go back to your daddy with a few broken bones, I’d keep on walking.”

“Oh Butch, I’d thought we’d grown past simple threats.” She said with a shake of the head and a sigh. “But, since you obviously haven’t, why don’t we all just go our separate ways in peace. Actually not all that separate because we all have to go to the same classroom, but let’s all try to end up there in one piece, sound good?”

“Alright,” Said Butch, clearly at the end of his rope, pushing off the wall and advancing on Posey. “Listen here you little bitch,” His face was inches from hers but Posey didn’t move, simply stared back at him, eyes narrowed.  “I’m sick of your crap,” He snarled, teeth bared.

“No, you listen here, hardass.” Said Posey, standing up straight in front of Butch and glowering at him. He looked surprised at her sudden turn of aggression, but he quickly smoothed over his shock with a sneer.

“Do you really want the might mind and wrath of The Overseer to come raining down on you and your pathetic little gang here?” She asked, gesturing to him and the rest of the tunnel snakes. “Because if you don’t, I’d consider letting off his daughter a bit. Harassing his pride and joy is not exactly a sure fire way to win his favor. And I don’t think you’d want him to find out about what you and your cronies get up to. So I’d keep my greasy head down, if I were you.”

Butch sneered again but to her surprise, and somewhat relief, he took a step back, looking down his nose at her and straightening his tunnel snakes jacket.

“Whatever, Daddy’s little girl.” He said with a sneer, “You ain’t worth my time, bitch.”

“Right back at you,” She said to his retreating form.

“Posey,” chided Amata, “He could have beaten the shit out of you!”

“But he didn’t!” Said Posey cheerfully. “Which at the end of the day is all that matters. A simple thank you would have sufficed.”

Amata let out a shaky laugh and shook her head.  “You’re going  to end up on the underside of his boot some day.” She remarked while the pair strolled into the classroom.

“Please,” Scoffed Posey, “I’m not afraid of Butch Deloria.”

Although that wasn’t entirely true, because at the time of squaring off with him, it had taking all of Posey’s self control to keep her hands from shaking. She didn’t like getting in people’s faces. She didn’t like making threats. Ever since her tenth birthday, when her father had given her that look, that look of something close but not quite disappointment, after she punched Butch in the nose, she never wanted to hit someone again. She never wanted to see anything even close to disappointment on her father’s face again. He always said she had a bright future ahead of her, he was sure of it. He was always “So proud of her.” And Posey would always laugh and reply,

“I haven’t done anything for you to be proud of yet.” To which her father would just smile and shake his head.

So she had to try. She didn’t know what she could possibly do, stuck down in this vault, that would make her father proud, but she would find it.

“Ah, Miss Bennett,” Posey looked up into the face of her teacher, Mr. Brotch, “All set for the G.O.A.T.?” He asked with a kind smile.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Said Posey, her lips twitching in an effort to smile.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine.” He said, “Go ahead, take a seat.”

Posey slipped into a seat behind Amata and surreptitiously wiped her sweating palms on her jumpsuit, and let out a steadying breath. Amata turned and gave her an encouraging smile while the tests were passed out, then turned back to the front of the classroom while Mr. Brotch began the test.

The questions were not at all what Posey expected, and the further into the test she got, the more incredulous she became.

What kind of a test is this? She thought, trying to answer as best she could, though sometimes she didn’t really agree with any of the answers.

A grandmother signing up her grandchild as a hitman?! What the hell?

Her face must have accurately displayed her thoughts, because Mr. Brotch was  trying to hold in a laugh after he glanced in her general direction.

“And finally,” Said Mr. Brotch, putting down the original test down and saying in a monotone voice with a rehearsed air, “Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?”

Posey looked down at the test and snorted quietly. “Naturally.” she murmured, looking down at the options of, The Overseer, The Overseer, The Overseer, The Overseer. Posey glanced around before quickly scribbling in a fifth option underneath.

James Bennett.

“Alright, pencils down everyone.” Said Mr. Brotch. “And please bring me your tests. You don’t want to know what happens to people who fail the G.O.A.T.”

“Can you do that?” asked Posey, walking beside Amata. Amata shrugged, “I don’t know, and frankly I don’t want to know.” Responded her friend, getting in line at the teacher’s desk.

“I wonder if they kick you out.” Mused Posey, mostly to herself.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” scoffed Amata, “I know my father is strict, but he’s not that strict. The vault doors haven’t been opened in years. Two hundred, to be exact.”

Posey shrugged as Amata handed in her test. “Just a theory,” She said. When it came time to hand Mr. Brotch her test, Posey felt her heart pound in her chest. She handed it over and waited for Mr. Brotch to look it over. Her stomach clenched when she saw him frown slightly at the last question on her test,

Oh no, she thought wildly, they’re going to kick me out. Stupid Overseer question. Stupid me for trying to be funny!

“Well Posey,” He said, sliding her test into a folder and saying with a smile, “Looks like you’re the Vault’s new Marriage Counselor.”

Posey’s jaw dropped and Mr. Brotch laughed, “It almost makes me want to get married, just  to be able to avail myself of your services.”

“Marriage counselor?” she protested, “Who is going to take marital advice from a sixteen year old who’s never even had a boyfriend?!”

Mr. Brotch laughed again and shooed her off. “Oh, you’ll be fine Posey, go on.”

Posey walked out of the classroom, still looking perplexed, and mildly distressed. “Marriage counselor?” She whispered under her breath, “How on earth-”

She walked back to her father’s clinic in a slight daze. Jonas looked up at her with a smile and said, “Ah, so, are we talking to the next Overseer? Or perhaps, the next Vault Doctor?” Jonas’s smile widened, “No, I know what it is. The next vault librarian! You’ve got enough books to supply the everyone with at least one.”

“Ha ha ha.” Said Posey, pulling a face at Jonas, but immediately covering it up with a smile. “No, you are in fact, talking to the Vault’s new Marriage Counselor.” Said Posey, a little miserably.

Jonas laughed so hard, he fell off his desk chair, and his pencil went rolling away. James however, got up and smiled widely at his daughter, giving her a hug and saying, “That’s great sweetie! I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful Marriage Counselor.”

“But,” She looked up at him, at a loss for words “But I’m only sixteen!” She protested, “I’m  sixteen and I’ve never even had a boyfriend. How can I give people advice on how to save a marriage!”

“You’ll be fine.” He assured her, “Most of the time, people just need someone else to listen, and you can listen very well.”

Posey huffed, causing a stray lock of hair to flutter upwards. “I wanted to work in the clinic, with you.” She said, sulkily.

James laughed and went back to his desk, “Posey, you will make a fine marriage counselor.” He said, turning back to his work.

“Yeah but I wanted a useful job.” She muttered, sitting on the edge of his desk and flicking the head of his Vault Tec bobblehead. “Like Medicine, or even Vault Mateinces.”

“I’m sure the couples you counsel will find you very useful.”

Posey groaned, “Dad, you’re being very annoyingly optimistic.”

He raised an eyebrow, looking up at her with a slight smirk. “Do you want me to tell you that you’re going to make a dreadful counselor and that you’ll hate your job for the rest of your life and always regret the day you took the G.O.A.T. to your last breath. Because if that is your only regret in life, I’d say you’re doing just fine.”

“See!” She cried, pointing at him. “Optimistic, again! I think you are physically incapable of being negative.”

“I could give you evidence that would crumble that claim.” Called Jonas, his laughs finally subsiding and hauling himself back into his chair. James shot him a withering look before glancing at his Pip-Boy for the time.

“Tell you what, why don’t we leave Jonas here to finish up and we go down to the reactor level for a quick game of catch, what do you say?”

“Dad, I’m not twelve.” She said, rolling her eyes. Though her lips twitched in an effort to suppress a smile.

“Oh, well then.” He said, raising his eyebrows, “You sure you’re not just scared I’ll beat you?”

“Beat me!” She laughed, “We’re tossing a baseball back and forth, how could you possibly beat me?”

“We will cross that bridge when we get to it.” He said with a smile, getting to his feet. “Come on.”

****  
  


Down on the reactor level Posey punched her glove with her free hand, making an indentation for the ball while her dad warmed up his arm a little,

“So,” He asked, tossing the baseball up in the air and catching it again. “Are you really upset at being a Marriage Counselor?”

“No, not really.” Said Posey thoughtfully. “I mean, it’s not something I’ve dreamed about since I was little and I don’t think I’ll be super passionate about it, but it’s not a bad job. At least it’s not waste managment.”

“There you go,” He said, smiling and throwing her the baseball. “Now who’s being optimistic!”

Posey smiled and caught it deftly, before throwing it back.

“Did you have a certain job in mind when you went to take the test?” He asked, “Is there some job you’ve been dreaming about your entire life, that will now never come to pass, leaving that part of you empty and unfulfilled?” He teased. Posey rolled her eyes and held up her gloved hand, a silent prompt to throw the ball to her again. He did so, and Posey felt it smack solidly into her gloved hand. She picked up the ball, looking at it thoughtfully, running a finger down it’s red seam.

“Well, like I said. I wanted to work with you, but, my childhood dream job was to be an explorer.”

James’s smile froze, as he watched his daughter examine the baseball.

“Not much to explore down here,” He said, forcing his tone to be light. “But I’m sure there are still some levels here you could discover something new on.”

“You know what I mean,” She said, looking up at him. “I wanted to explore outside.”

“Posey-”

“I know, I know. This vault is my home. It’s what mom wanted for me, and I respect that. I know I’m lucky and that upstairs is a total mess and that people are selfish and cruel, but I can’t help but be curious. It can’t be all bad, out there. There has to be good people left, somewhere. Maybe they just have forgotten what it’s like to be good, and they need a reminder.”

“Posey, these are blood-thirsty, cold-hearted killers we’re talking about here, not naughty puppies.” He said sternly, “Here, you’re safe. You have so much-”

“I know!” She snapped, “I know,” her voice was softer this time. Her father stepped forward and placed both hands on her shoulders. “Posey,” he said gently, “listen to me. I know this vault isn’t perfect.” He let out a humorless laugh, “Believe me, I know. But you’re safe here. You don’t know how much that means to me. Your safety is the only thing that matters to me. If you were up there, out in the Wasteland, you have no idea what it’s like.”

“And you do?”

James Bennett froze as Posey looked up at him, looking suddenly much older than he had ever realized. She was growing up, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

“Dad, at my party once, Old Lady Palmer said she remembered when you came here. What did she mean? This whole ‘Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault’ is it true? Were you born here? And if so, how do you know what the Wasteland is like? Maybe it’s changed. Maybe they’re are cities out there, full of happy, healthy people. Maybe-”

“Posey, you can’t go around asking questions like that, if The Overseer-”

“Dad,” She looked up at him, deadly serious. “Were you born in this vault?”

He looked down at her, and her eyes, his eyes, didn’t waver.  

“Yes, of course I was”

The lie felt like a physical wound, it tore out of him, leaving a gaping emptiness behind as Posey’s eyes searched his face, and he saw nothing but trust in their blue depths. She trusted him completely.

And it just about broke his heart.

“Okay.” She said simply.

“Come on, let’s go get some dinner.” He said, numbly, turning and walking back up the vault corridor.

“Dad,”  Posey jogged to catch up with him, “you’re not mad at me, are you?”

Her brows were knitted together in concern and James smiled slightly, ruffling her already messy hair and saying quietly, “Of course not, sweetie. I just worry. That’s all.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, I can take care of myself.” She said with a smile, catching up with him and gently bumping into him. He smiled, and Posey was surprised to see something like sadness in his eyes as leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“I’m glad to hear it.” he said,

“Dad?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“You’re definitely my favorite dad.”

He smiled but felt like someone was tugging his heart out of his chest.

“I love you too, Posey. Never forget.”

She looked up at him and said “Don’t let me forget.”

* * *

 

Three Years Later

He couldn’t do this. How could he even think about it? James Bennett passed outside his daughter’s room, running his hands threw his greying hair. On the coffee table in front of him was a small leather backpack and next to it, all his notes on Project Purity. He was so, so close. He could feel it. Project Purity would change the world. It would make it better. The outside world Posey wanted to believe was out there could come happen. He was sure it could. And James could make it happen. It was what Catherine would have wanted. He was sure of it. He looked back at the closed vault door, where on the other side Posey slept soundly.

He couldn’t leave her with no explanation, no goodbye. He couldn’t leave.

Damnit James, she’s nineteen years old! She’s not a child! He argued with himself furiously. But she WAS a child! She was his child. His baby girl.

She’s hardly a baby anymore.

But he remembered when she had been. He had always been there for her. When she was scared or hurt, he was there to dry her tears and put her fears to rest.

“It’s okay Posey, it’s alright sweetie, I’m right here, Daddy’s right here. My brave girl, I’ll always be right here.”

But not anymore. He thought miserably. He’d been standing there for ten minutes, going over every argument he could think of.

This will be for her good. For all of our good.

She was the last good thing this charred out hunk of a planet had to offer. He had to keep her here. Keep her safe.

A sudden feeling of utter calm encompassed him, and he stopped pacing. It was as he’d said to her. Here she was safe. To stay here with her, or even worse, to take her with him, would be the worst act of selfishness he could commit. He glanced to the wall, where the framed phrase of Revelations 21:6 greeted him.  ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely’.

He would do this. He would do this for Catherine, for Posey. For them, he would do anything.

He looked back at the door, his hand hovering over the button to open it. If he could just see her, one last time, even if she was just sleeping. Kiss her brow, tell her loved her, and he was sorry. That he was doing this for her. Guilt twisted in his stomach. She would feel so betrayed. He could practically see her face when she awoke to find him gone. Anger, hurt, sadness.

But he knew Jonas was waiting for him. He had wasted enough time as it was.

He placed a hand against the cool metal of the door. “I love you, Posey, never forget that.” He whispered.

He took the framed bible verse from the wall, and slipped the paper from the frame, folding it up and placing it in his pocket. He hiked his backpack up on his shoulder, the same bag that he had taken when Posey was just a baby, and he had turned his back on Project Purity, seemingly forever. Well, now he was turning back, and there was no way he was quitting again. He was seeing Project Purity through to the end.

* * *

 

“Wake up!”

Posey rolled over, pulling the covers of her head and groaning. “What time is it?” She mumbled, lips thick with sleep.

“Dammit, Posey! Get up!”

Her blankets were yanked off her head and her shoulder shaken rather rudely. Posey sat up quickly, scowling and her mouth open to say something angry, but she was surprised to see Amata, standing beside her bed and looking terrified.

“Amata?” She said, rubbing her eyes. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”

Amata’s dark, liquid eyes were enormous and she was trembling. “Posey, you’ve got to get out of here!” She said, “My father...his men are looking for you. He’s gone crazy, they killed Jonas! They’re..they’re going to k-k-kill you!”

Posey’s fists clenched, clutching handfuls of her blanket. “Amata, slow down, what are you talking about? Where’s my dad?”

Amata looked up at her, and said vacantly, “Posey, you’re dad is gone.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I previously stated, this is my first time on this website and I rely a lot on horizontal line breaks, as they have on fanfcition.net so if any of you know if that's a possibility on here wanna help a girl out :) I have no idea what I'm doing here!!! But none the less i hope you enjoyed the story and thanks for reading :)


	3. Escape

Chapter Three

Escape

Feel no pain, but my life ain't easy

I know I'm my best friend

No one cares, but I'm so much stronger

I'll fight until the end

To escape from the true false world

Undamaged destiny

Can't get caught in the endless circle

Ring of stupidity

Out of my own, out to be free

One with my mind, they just can't see

No need to hear things that they say

Life is for my own to live my own way

* * *

“What do you mean my dad is gone?” Said Posey, she was wide awake now, but still confused, and much to Amata’s distress, still in bed. “He can’t be gone. He’s probably just in his office, working late. What time is it?”

She was acting so nonchalant that Amata wanted to scream. Amata took Posey’s shoulders and gave her a shake, “Would you please get out of bed for God’s sake!” Shouted her friend, tears spilling out of her eyes. “You’re dad has left the vault! And my dad has gone crazy! He had his guards KILL Jonas! And they’re going to do the same to you!”

“Amata, my dad wouldn’t have left without telling me! He wouldn’t have left! I’m sure he’s just in his office! Maybe he fell asleep behind his desk he does that sometimes, come one, we’ll go look together.”

“Posey stop being so damn naive!” Hissed Amata, “I know your dad left! I saw him do it! He’s gone! He left the vault and you need to go after him or my father’s men are going to kill you!” Amata picked up a empty duffle bag at the end of Posey’s bed and started throwing things haphazardly into it, while Posey stared at her, head swimming.

“But,”

_“I know this vault isn’t perfect, sweetie, but you need to stay here.”_

_“Of course I was born in the Vault.”_

_“Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault.”_

_“Posey, promise me, whatever happens, you’ll stay here, where it’s safe.”_

_“I love you, never forget that, and I will_ never _leave you.”_

__

“He-” Posey was staring blankly ahead, “He said,”

“Posey, you need to go! Listen, there’s a secret tunnel through my dad’s office. You can pick the lock with these.” Amata handed Posey a handful of bobby pins. “You’ll have to hack into his terminal to access the tunnels opening but it shouldn’t be too hard. You know how to hack a computer, right?”

Posey nodded listlessly, “Jonas taught me.” She said absently. Amata looked at her with concern, placing a comforting hand on her friends shoulder. “You have no idea why he left, do you?” She asked quietly.

“No,” Said Posey, her eyebrows knitting together, “He always told me how important it was to stay in the Vault, that I could never leave because the Wasteland was dangerous.”

“Well,” Said Amata grimly, “The Wasteland isn’t the only dangerous place anymore. Here, I found this in my dad’s office.”

She placed a ten millimeter pistol in Posey’s grip and handed her the duffle bag she’d packed. Amata had thoroughly cleared out Posey’s room, even adding a very battered copy of A Tale of Two Cities, a book they’d had to read for school, and the picture of Posey and her father on her tenth birthday. Posey slung it over her shoulder, and picked up the baseball bat leaning against the door frame. The pistol’s holster had a belt that was a little too big for her, but she cinched it tight anyway and slipped it in. It was heavier than she expected, the weight uncomfortably present at her hip.

“I’ll try and meet you at the exit.” Said Amata, before vanishing.

_I can’t believe it,_ thought Posey numbly, _he left, he left me.._

_Maybe he’s just in his office, Amata could be wrong. Or maybe she’s pranking me._   _If this is her idea of a prank I swear..._ She thought quickly, stepping out of her room and looking around the living room she and her father had shared for nineteen years. It looked exactly the same. Surely there would be some sign that he had gone, he would have taken something, or left a note! She turned, out of habit, to close her bedroom door, and then she saw it, an empty stretch of wall, where her mother’s favorite passage use to reside.

_He’s gone._

__

That blank wall had convinced her more thoroughly than Amata ever could have. Her father had left the vault, and he hadn’t said a word to her about it. There had been no sign, last night he had looked up from his paperwork and told her goodnight when she announced she was going to bed, and that was all. There had been no trace of deceit in his familiar, kind eyes. He had joked with her that morning, teased her about the date she had planned with Freddy Gomez for that weekend. Asked her if she was sure she didn’t want to stay in with her dear old dad and help him file patient reports instead. There had been absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Now he was gone.

How dare he?! How dare he leave her here, when he knew, he KNEW how much Posey wanted to see what the Wasteland was really like! Why wouldn’t he tell her! Where was he going? _Why_ he was going...

She had stepped out of her living quarters in a daze, not really minding where she was going. She was brought back to her unfavorable situation by a shout from a guard.

“Hey! I found her!”

Posey’s chin jerked up and she saw the man advancing on her, police baton raised and face twisted in a terrifying expression of animal like rage.

Her heart pounded a vicious and erratic rhythm in her chest and she felt rooted to the spot, paralyzed by some primal instinct of fear. Eyes wide, hands gripping the strap of her duffle bag so tightly her nails bit into her palms and her knuckles turned white, her lips slightly parted in an expression of utter shock mingled with fear.

Run you idiot!!! Her head screamed, but she couldn’t! And he was coming closer, baton raised, ready to send it crashing down on her skull, when-

She heard them before she saw them. They’re scuttling legs and harsh buzzing of wings, and an entire swarm of radroaches rounded the corner, accosting the guard, who swore loudly and started beating the creatures back.

“Don’t think I haven’t forgot about you, you little bitch.” Snarled the guard, but the sight of the Radroaches had finally snapped Posey back to her senses. Funny how a couple of bugs could strike enough fear into her to cause her to bolt, while a blood thirsty man wielding a thick, wooden baton had not.

_Whatever works,_ She thought idly.

Adrenaline had finally started to kick in, and Posey could feel herself moving faster. She remembered in one of her father’s old medical journals, the effect adrenaline had on people.

_The Adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, send a chemical receptor to the brain, more specifically to the hypothalamus where-_

“Hey! Wait!”

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and Posey instantly switched from ‘Flight,’ to ‘Fight’. She felt her muscles contract in a way that wouldn’t have ordinarily been possible as she clipped whoever it was in the jaw with her elbow as she whirled around, hand flying to the pistol at her hip and pulling it clumsily from the holster at her hip.

She had it’s trembling barrel pressed up under the jaw of Butch Deloria, whose eyes were enormously wide, and his hands were up in surrender.

“Whoa, whoa, take it easy!” He stuttered, his voice cracking.

Posey was panting, and her hands were shaking but she immediately lowered the pistol, placing it back in it’s holster. “Sorry Butch.” She said, feeling suddenly pale and weak. Her short burst of hormone stimulated superpowers was over.

 _Damn it._  She thought, pushing back stray hairs, _That probably would have come in handy._

“I don’t care, just listen! My mom is trapped in there with radroaches and you gotta help her!” Butch looked frantic and his chin trembled, and Posey felt a sympathetic twinge towards her old childhood bully, and a small thrill of something else.

 _This shmuck is really asking for my help? Oh Irony, my old friend._ She thought, shaking her head. “Listen Butch, I’ve got a lot on my plate right now and considering how much of an ass hole you’ve been to me my ENTIRE LIFE you have got to understand the irony of this situation. It actually kind of makes me want to laugh out loud a little.”

“I know! I’m sorry, but you know I never meant any of it right?”

Posey snorted,

“Please!” Butch was getting desperate, “I’ll do anything you want! I’ll be your best friend forever just please help my mom.”

Posey sighed and unhooked her baseball bat from her duffle bag, “Where is she Butch?”

“Oh thank god!” He cried, actually grabbing her face and kissing her, full on the mouth. “Thank you! She’s this way!”

Posey jerked back spluttering and wiping her mouth on the back of her hand before following him down the hall to his living quarters.

_Dad leaves the Vault and Butch Deloria kisses me, the whole world’s gone upside down!_ Thought Posey, wiping her mouth again.

She could hear Butch’s mother’s cries and the buzzing of radroaches as they approached the door and Posey charged inside before she could give herself time to think about how much she hated bugs and how many radroaches there probably were.

 

She saw Mrs. Deloria, cornered and screeching, waving her arms above her head in an effort to shoo the bugs away and Posey charged right in, baseball bat held at the ready, and brought it crashing down on the nearest roach, crushing it instantly and actually  denting the metal floor beneath it. She disposed of the other creatures similarly and stood among their disgusting remains, arms soar and chest heaving.

“You did it!” Crowed Butch, bounding forward and grinning widely. “You creamed those bastards!”

He leaned forward but Posey quickly held up a hand, “Let’s not do anything either of us will regret later.” Said Posey shortly, and Butch smiled,

“You're alright kid, here, take this.” He shuffled out of his leather tunnel snakes jacket and held it out to her. “I know it isn’t much,” He said apologetically, “but it’s all I’ve got.”

Posey hesitantly took the jacket and pulled it on. It drowned her slim frame but she didn’t really notice. “This has been one hell of a night.” She said simply. “You’re being nice to me, and The Overseer wants to kill me. What has the world come to?”

Butch’s smile disappeared, “What?” He said, frowning. “Old man Almodovar wants you dead?”

But posey was already on her way out the door,

“Probably best if you didn’t see me tonight, savy?” She called over her shoulder.  

“But, why?”

Posey was gone, swallowed up by the metal throat of the vault.

* * *

It was eerily quiet in the halls, nothing but her running footfalls echoing on the steel below, and around her. She felt she should have run into some guards by now. She wasn’t complaining, but she wished she were closer to being away from here. How strange that she was actually running away, after always daydreaming about it when she was younger.

A slow smile crawled onto her face. She was leaving. She was going to see what the outside world was like. She felt partially terrified and partially ecstatic. So what if she was getting actively chased from her home? So far, she hadn’t even received a scratch! She was going to rule the Wasteland. And her father thought she couldn’t handle herself out there. Well, she certainly showed him!

“Hey kid!”

Posey let out a yelp and lost her footing, taking a painful tumble onto the hard steel flooring, and skidding to a stop, her pistol skittering away across the metal floor.

“Shit,” She hissed, scrambling to upwards and backing up, still on all fours, feeling desperately for her gun, panic building in her chest. She felt someone haul her up under her armpits and her weapon was shoved back into her hand and she turned to see Officer Gomez looking at her, worry all over his face.

“You’re lucky it was me who found you, the other’s won’t be so forgiving.” He said hurriedly. “I don’t know what you’re up to, I don’t understand what’s got into people around here, you’re a good kid. But you need to go, and quickly. Just clear out of here, and I’ll pretend I never saw you.”

“And I guess I’ll pretend you don’t work for a homicidal maniac!” Responded Posey shortly. She was tired of people telling her to clear out and get lost. She was working on it, after all! If all these people would just quit interrupting her.

“Don’t I know it,” huffed Gomez, looking around, his voice dropped to a whisper, “that’s why I’m letting you go. I guess you’re trying to follow your dad..outside.” He shuddered, “Good Gravy, if I didn’t know what The Overseer would do if he caught you I’d say don’t do it, but it’s your only shot.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Take care, I hope you find your daddy.”

A lump form in her throat at the mention of her father and she looked down clearing her throat before saying, “Thanks, Officer Gomez.” He nodded and the pair separated, Posey heading towards The Overseer’s office, and Officer Gomez, back up the hall.

“Wait! Officer Gomez!” Cried Posey, whirling around. The man stopped and turned around, looking back at the slight figure of Posey Bennett. Under the fluorescent lights, she looked deathly pale, and her light blonde hair almost glowed silver. Posey swallowed and said, her voice trying and failing to remain even. “Tell Freddy, thanks for the invite, it means a lot. But I don’t think I’ll be able to make that date Friday night.”

Officer Gomez’s eyes softened and he nodded gently. “I will.”

“Thanks.”

The novelty of escape had worn off now as she turned and hurried up the corridor. Sure she had wanted it, dreamed of it even, but it had been a child’s fancy, an ideal dream. Her life was here, and her father was right, here was where she was safe. What was she thinking! She couldn’t survive on the wasteland! She hadn’t even fired her stupid gun yet, and the damn radroaches scared her. She was sure it would be worse up there, out in the open.

She heard arguing voices up ahead and stopped listening.

“Mary! We could escape here! That Doctor did it, why not us!”

“Tom, that’s crazy, we have no idea what life is like up there!”

“It wouldn’t have to be much to be better than here.” Said the first voice bitterly, and Posey recognized it as Tom and Mary Cusham, a couple she had actually had in one of her counseling sessions.

“I’m going for it.” Said the determined voice of Tom, while Mary pleaded,

“No! Tom, wait!”

There was a loud pop that Posey immediately recognized as gunfire and her heart stopped momentarily before she scrambled out of her hiding place, Screaming “Wait! Stop!”

But her protests were cut off by a high animal like scream of anguish and a sob from Mary,

“Tom!” She screeched, dropping to her knees in next to her husband, who was lying on his back, twitching slightly and lying in a pool of crimson. Posey stared in horror at the guards who were know taking aim at Mary, and her stunned feet carried her forward before she could think, her left hand was up, flagging the guards attention, while her right found her pistol.

“I said STOP!” She shouted, surprised at the steadiness of her voice, and her hand as she pointed the gun at the guards, who looked from the weeping form of Mary up to her.

“Holy shit, it’s her!” One shouted, while they others let loose a hailstorm of bullets. Posey narrowly voided being hit as she scrambled behind a steel column and heard the bullets hit the metal around her, her heart pounding in her chest. “shit shit shit shit SHIT!” She hissed under her breath, trying to dislodge the safety of her gun as she heard the guards booted feet rushing towards her.

With another angry curse, she dropped the gun back in it’s holster, gripped her baseball bat tight and whirled around the corner of the column, swinging her bat hard into the chest of the nearest officer, then grabbing him by the straps of his bulletproof vest and using him as a shield  before ducking around him and whacking the gun in the hand of the remaining guard like it was a well thrown pitch.

The weapon flew threw the air and spun way on the ground and Posey held her bat up threateningly while the guard still standing drew his baton, looking slightly nervous.

She had no idea where any of that had come from. All instinct, she guessed. That, or too much time reading Grognak the Barbarian as a child.

“Listen,” Said the guard in what she assumed was suppose to be a soothing voice, though it trembled too much to be of any use. “put down the bat, and come with me, The Overseer just wants to chat,”

“The hell he does.” She snarled, “Which one of you bastards killed Jonas, huh?”

His hesitation was all she needed, she dropped the bat and punched him square in the nose, which resulted in him dropping like a stone and Posey clutching her now injured hand and wailing.

“Damn it!” She hissed, shaking out her hand. Her knuckles throbbed, and she guessed she fractured a bone or two in there on that idiots hard head.

She was wasting precious time, but she scooped up her baseball bat and ran to check on Mary, placing an aching hand on the sobbing women’s shoulder. “Mary? Are you alright?” She asked softly.

“Of course I’m not alright!” She snapped, “My husband is DEAD and it’s all your fault!”

Posey jerked back like the words had been a slap, “Mary I-”

“You and your selfish bastard of a father!”

Posey backed up, shaking her head jerkily. She looked down at what use to be Tom Cusham and felt bile rise in her throat. He had three bullet wounds in his chest, and each had a horrible dark red ring around them, staining the dark blue of his vault tec suit. His blank, glassy eyes stared up at nothing and he had a trickle of blood from his mouth. Posey turned and ran, forcing herself to breath in through her mouth to stop herself from vomiting. Mary’s words still rang in her ears,

_“This is all your fault! You and your selfish bastard of a father!”_

Tears were blurring her vision as she stumbled against the vault’s wall, the lump of unshed tears making it difficult to breath as she choked back a sob. She used the wall to hold herself up as she struggled to get a hold of her tears, and she heard a muffled voice shout.

“This is all your fault! Your stupid father! He had to go and run of to get himself killed and screw the rust of us over down here!”

She looked up to see a vault dweller she barely talked to scream at her through a plate of glass, while an officer upended all the belongings in his room. Before the officer could look up Posey was on the run again, her breath hitching in her throat. She kept running until she heard another cry of pain and stopped, panting and saying in exasperation, “Oh for the love of all things good and holy what NOW?!”

She jogged forward, breathing heavily and peered inside a room to see Amata cowering in a chair, The Overseer and Officer Mack standing in front of her. Posey reached the window just in time to see Officer mack deliver a vicious slap to her friend, causing Amata’s head to jerk violently to the right. Posey felt like she herself had been slapped as she watched in horror as The Overseer simply stood there, regarding his daughter’s bruised face impassively.

“That son of a bitch.” Growled Posey, pounding on the doors controls and barging into the room. All the occupants turned to her and surprise, and Officer Mack charged forward, and before Posey could do anything, his baton had connected squarely with her cheek, sending a flash of white hot pain across her face and blinding her temporarily. She swung blindly, and heard her bat connect with something solid and a bit of swear word before Amata shouted, “Look out!”

Her vision was slowly returning as she saw Mack raising his weapon again, bearing his teeth in animalistic ferocity as Posey ducked quickly to the side, his baton still clipped her shoulder though, and she swung, aiming for his head this time. Her bat connected with a sickening crunch and Mack dropped like a stone. Which was good because her right arm was rendered just about completely useless from her aching, possibly dislocated shoulder to her fractured metacarpals and everything in between.

The Overseer looked at her through narrowed eyes, hands behind his back.

“I hope you’re here to turn yourself in, young lady.” he said, his tone as cold and unforgiving as the steel vault walls surrounding them.

“I’m here to stop you from abusing your daughter,” Said Posey angrily, raising her bat threateningly, despite her aching arm.

“It is your fault Amata was in that position.” Said The Overseer.

“My fault?” Posey let out a humourless laugh and used her bat to point at him, saying, “my fault that you’re a psychopath who gets off on your so called authority? Almodovar, you’re one sick puppy and that’s no one’s fault but your own.”

Amata had slipped away as she saw the cold fury in her father’s eyes, and at Posey’s feet, Officer Mack stirred. Posey backed up slightly, heading for the door.

“My father is a brilliant man but he was wrong about one thing, this vault isn’t the place for me.”

“Your father is a foolish, idealistic simpleton!” Hissed the older man, “He didn’t know a good thing when he had it and now you’re both going to pay for his mistake!”

Posey smirked, “Who’s going to make us pay? You?” She kicked Officer Mack’s groaning form, “Your guard dog here? No, I’m not afraid of you, Overseer. Have a nice life, you son of a bitch.”

She darted out of the room and started pounding buttons on the command panel next to it as Almodovar shouted, “Guards! Guards help!” The door slammed down and Percy smirked as she heard the lock engage. Another little trick she had learned from Jonas.

_Jonas._

__

He was dead. Somewhere, here in the vault. Dead, and she was gloating over bashing in a man’s head and locking another one in a cell, essentially. She felt sick suddenly and the pain in her arm increased dramatically. Her head swimming with pain and choking on despair, the doctor’s daughter ran down the hall, practically tripping down a set of stairs and barely kept herself from falling at the bottom of them. She knew she was close. So close. She looked up, through the tears clouding her vision she could see the dim hallway that would take her directly to the office.

She was just starting to get a grip on her hysteria when she found him.

Jonas

Her breath hitched in her throat and she practically crumpled next to him, feeling waves of nausea overtake her and chills travel down her spine as she looked at her friend. He’d been an older brother to her, “The annoying brother she’d never wanted.” She’d called him. Now here he lay, his leg at an unnatural angle beneath him, glasses askew and a smear of blood across his forehead.

Posey didn’t bother holding back her sobs this time as she bowed her head over the fallen man, her trembling shoulders causing her injured one to hurt even more.

“I’m sorry,” She said, eyes streaming, tears dripping onto his still face. “I’m so sorry Jonas.”

She reached out a shaking hand and straightened his glasses on his face, and carefully straightened his lab coat. That’s when she noticed his clenched hand, stuffed into his lab coat's pocket. Her name was printed on it, in very familiar, even handwriting.

Shaking worse than ever now, Posey carefully retrieved it from Jonas’s cold hand. It was a difficult task, his body had already become stiff. He had clearly prevented the guards or the overseer from taking it.

“Thank you, Jonas.” She said, wiping the tears from her face with the heel of her palm, and tucking the holotape into her pocket. She knew her father wouldn’t leave without telling her anything. He wouldn’t do that to her.

With one last agonizing look at Jonas, Posey got to her feet, took shaky steps back to the hallway, and up it, towards her goal.

One picked lock and hacked terminal later, Posey was stumbling through the secret tunnel under the overseer’s desk then, she was standing in front of the enormous, cog shaped door. She simply stared at it, panting and aching all over.

The whole world rested on the other side of that door. Her father was out there, somewhere. A few steps more and she would be free. Escape from this place. This steel mausoleum with it’s oblivious occupants, shuffling about in it’s metal innards.

“You made it. I don’t believe it.”

Posey turned to see Amata, her bruise already blooming into brilliant blues and purples and causing her eye to swell up.

“Yeah, I don’t believe it either.” Said Posey listlessly.

“So, I guess this is goodbye.” Said Amata, looking at her lifelong friend.  Posey looked at the enormous door behind her, then back at Amata.

“It doesn’t have to be. You could come with me.”

Amata looked at the door, terror in her eyes. “No, I can’t.”

“Amata please, come with me!” Pleaded Posey, “I-I”

 _I don’t want to do this on my own._ She thought. Amata shook her head jerkily, “I can’t, this is my home. It’s where I belong.”

“It was my home too.”

“No,” Said Amata, “I don’t think it ever really was.”

Posey jerked back, stunned and hurt. “Fine.” She said evenly, walking over and yanking down the lever to open the door with more force than was probably necessary.

“Posey, I didn’t mean that, it’s just, you never really belonged here anyway.”

Posey laughed, a cold hard thing, which was shortly drowned out by a grinding of metal on metal, and a short bang of a nearby fire arm. Posey looked up to see Guards rushing towards her, guns at the ready and she quickly vaulted the railing, landing directly in front of Amata who looked terrified.

“I’ll see you around, Amata.” She said bitterly, before ducking under the partially opened vault door and running over the now uneven ground.

She didn’t have time to process that this was technically her first time her feet touched planet earth, that this was the first time she had breathed fresh air. She stumbled over the uneven ground, expecting to feel bullets in her back, or in the dirt around her,but there was nothing. She chanced a glance over her shoulder and saw the guards, hovering at the door to the vault. They didn’t dare to chase after her.

“Cowards!” Posey called, slowing her ungainly run and turning around to face them full on. “What, you afraid of a little dirt!” She jeered.

In response, they raised their guns and fired.  A bullet grazed her forehead as she turned and ran pell mell to the slatted wooden door at the end of the cave, blood quickly trickling down into her eyes as she threw herself without a second thought at the door.

Her sore shoulder connected with the centuries old wood and rusted metal and the whole door squealed in protest as and fell flat, quickly followed by the horrible crunch of metal on metal again as the vault door shut behind her.

Posey lay, curled up on the remains of the door and kept her eyes tight shut as bright bright penetrating light attacked her retinas, iris, rods, cones EVERYTHING. It was so warm too, bordering on hot, soaking right through her suit and burning her skin.

Sunlight. It had to be.

Posey hesitantly opened her eyes, but it was like she’d been staring straight into one of the vault’s fluorescent lights. Everything was just white. But slowly, her eyes adjusted, and Posey felt her heart crowd up into her throat.

It was going to be impossible to find her father out here. She suddenly became aware of how battered she was. Her shoulder pulsed with pain every so often and her forehead stung from where the bullet had grazed her, sending a steady stream of blood down her face. She was alone, with no idea where to go, and she was angry. She missed her father, and Amata had all but kicked her out of the Vault, saying she had never really belonged there anyway.

She finally allowed the pain of her friends words to sink in, and Posey felt like crying. But she didn’t have any tears left. Amata had been her best friend for nineteen years. They told each other everything. They defended each other and Posey had loved her like the sister she never had. And Amata had turned her back on her out of fear.

Posey wished she could cry, but she suddenly just felt exhausted. She knew she couldn’t take another step today. She knew it had to be around midday, with the sun being how it was. She’d learned to tell time by the sun from her favorite Pre-War survival book. But she didn’t care. She was tired. She got up on trembling legs and dragged the fallen door to a bit of cliff face next to the opening of the cave, and propped it against it, to form a sort of a lean to. She pulled out the blanket Amata had taken from her bed and laid it in the small space of shade her make to hut had created, and used her duffle bag as a pillow, after drapping her two spare jumpsuits at either end to enclose herself in her small, stuffy shelter. Posey lay on the hard, lumpy ground and stared apathetically up at the wood above her. “Dad,” she murmured, feeling miserable. “Where are you?”

The pain in her shoulder was nothing compared to the pit in her heart her father had caused by his leaving, and his voice was what lulled her to sleep,

_“I love you too, Posey. Never forget.”_   
  


“Don’t let me forget,”

Despite her quick and deep fall into slumber’s embrace, a single tear slipped out of her closed eye.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you guys think? Like it? Love it? Hate it and wish to damn me and my posterity to hell? I’d love to know so PLEASE review. I know I’m sounding whiny but this chapter really was a toughie to crank out. I want the action to be, actiony (wow, such eloquence, much words) but believable and I want to know what you guys think. I’m totally begging you guys here, review review!  
>  don’t know how I feel about the end. Gah!! Forget it, it’s up. Just review please! And as always, thank you so much for reading! Goodbye!
> 
> P.S. I'm slowly learning the ropes of this place. At least I figured out how to format my chapters the way I like!


	4. Radioactive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Radioactive"
> 
> I'm waking up to ash and dust
> 
> I wipe brow and I sweat my rust
> 
> I'm breathing in the chemicals
> 
> ...
> 
> Welcome to the new age, to the new age
> 
> Welcome to the new age.
> 
> To the new age.

 

 

* * *

Posey often heard her father tell his patients, "A good night's sleep is just as good as a couple of stimpacks."

Perhaps, if you were suffering the common cold, and sleeping on a vault issue mattresses, that would be the case. However, hard, rocky ground was hardly a good combination for an already sore shoulder. Posey let out a groan as she cracked open her eyes, and looked up at the roof of her shelter. Her mouth tasted terrible, and there was a rock digging into her neck. Her head ached from her blow from Officer Mack's baton, the skin swollen and tender when she prodded it gently.

It was dim now, the sun perhaps set, or was in the process of setting anyway. And she had to move. Not only because she felt as stiff as a board but because she couldn't stay another night in her flimsy little shelter. She had to get a move on, her dad already had a head start on her. She kicked the door over, gathered up her stuff and stood up, grumbling as she did so. She looked up at the sky and suddenly her injuries calling for her attention faded away to dull aches. None of that mattered now.

It was HUGE. There was nothing above her, no steel bracers and bright fluorescent lights. Just open sky, with hazy clouds, and behind the shadowy curtain of cloud, stars.

"Stars.." She breathed, and she couldn't help the giggle that slipped from her lips. She hauled her duffle bag higher up on her good shoulder and grinned, watching the sky as she took her first few steps down the small ledge that lead away from the vault's cave entrance. She ran down the slight indication of a road and laughed as dust swirled up around her. She couldn't believe it, she was outside!

All soreness nearly forgotten, she practically frolicked among the broken up asphalt and rocks of the wasteland. She jumped from one boulder to another, laughing with sheer delight as she looked out over the Wasteland. Admittedly, there were no bustling cities like she'd dreamed of as a child, and in fact, the landscape looked practically bleak but she was free. No walls around her, no ceiling to pen her in. The world was so big! Miles away she could see a dilapidated tower, which she recognized from her old Pre-War guidebooks as the Washington Monument. So that had to be D.C. The old capital of America.

A little closer to her though, was a collection of burned out husks of houses, most of them little more than charcoal now, looming up out of the murky horizon of the night. But she assumed the night was young, it was far from pitch black, and she could still see by the dim light of the celestial bodies in the sky, not to mention the light on her Pip-Boy which she flicked on.

She walked along the broken road that lead through what use to be a town, past broken up remains of playground equipment and to a makeshift sign, that read in sloppily painted hand writing, "MEGATON" with an arrow pointing off to her right. She looked towards the right and saw an unidentifiable hunk of something. A slight mound on the horizon. She assumed that it was Megaton. A town perhaps.

She fiddled with her Pip-Boy and was relieved to see that it had already configured itself to geographical area around her, displaying a map that would most certainly come in handy. Now that her little thrill about stars and freedom was passing, Posey realized just how badly her shoulder hurt. All her injuries seemed to be calling for her attention now and much louder now that she had ignored them in favor of jumping about on bits of asphalt. She sat down on a rusted metal bench at the playground. It squealed in protest but surprisingly still held her weight.

She prodded at the affected shoulder and winced as it caused a sharp zing of pain all the way down to her hand. She guessed it was dislocated, which meant it would need to be popped back in place. Ideally, by someone with a little more medical training than she. True, she had more medical knowledge than most vault dwellers. Natural curiosity coupled with a patient father, who was more than willing to explain his methods to her meant she had a decent knowledge of how the human body worked, and how to fix it.

But just because she knew her shoulder had to be popped back into place, didn't mean she could do it herself. For starters, it was going to hurt. A lot. And she wasn't big into self inflicted pain. But she assumed medical attention was going to cost money. Which she didn't have. So there was nothing for it. She was just going to have to do it.

She squeezed her eyes tight shut, gritted her teeth and braced her good arm on her shoulder.

_I hope I'm doing this right._

She pushed her shoulder back hard at the same time as she lifted her arm up. She let out a sharp cry and felt the blood drain from her face as she was hit by the pain, so intense the world edged black for a moment and she felt queasy but she knew it was in. She felt the faint pop as ball met socket.

She sat there, pale and shaking, feeling cold and clammy. She did notice though that the pain in her shoulder had settled to a dull throbbing. She dug around in her duffle bag, then let out a sigh. It was a disorganized mess. She dumped the contents unceremoniously onto the ground and started sorting it out. She found one of her many stimpacks and picked it up, it would be just the thing for her fractured knuckles. Although again, the thought of stabbing a needle into her hand didn't really appeal to her.

She did it anyway though, and tossed the used up needle away from her and finished sorting through all her items she'd scavenged from the vault. Two spare jumpsuits, plenty of stimpacks and Med-X, not to mention some Rad-X and Radaway. She stored her medicine in the inside pocket of her duffle bag, and put her blanket, her book, suits and the rest of her clothing in the main compartment .Amata had even gotten her some food and a few bottles of purified water. Her stomach growled at the sight of the boxes of processed vault food, but she decided she could wait a little longer. In the front zippered pocket, she stashed her spare ammo and the police baton she'd gotten. She used a spare belt from one of the vault tech suits for a sort of rig for her baseball bat, strapping it to her duffle bag so it was still in reach and easy to get out if she needed it. Feeling much better prepared to face the Wasteland now, Posey got to her feet and set out for Megaton, slinging her bag across her shoulder, still favoring the previously dislocated one. It still ached.

Then she remembered, the holotape from her father, already downloaded into her Pip-Boy. Posey froze, bringing her Pip-Boy up to her face and looking at it silently. What would the note say? Would it have a location? More likely it would contain explicit instructions that she not follow him and she should appreciate her life in the dank vault. She cleared her throat slightly and said in a trembling voice. "Access holotape files, play 'Note from Dad.'"

Her Pip-Boy whirred slightly, then through it's crackling speakers, her father's voice floated out into the night air:

_"Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first._

_I... I don't really know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand, but I know you might be angry. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you not to know. So many things could have gone wrong and there's really no telling how the overseer will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously you already know that I'm gone. It was something I needed to do. You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me. God knows life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going."_

Posey listened, and was surprised that no tears came to her eyes at the sound of her father's voice, she just stared out across the Wasteland's horizon. Waiting for something, a clue. Anything.

_"Remember your mother's favorite verse? Revelations 21:6. 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.' I can't tell you what it means, but please Posey, know that I'm doing this for you. And your mother. I owe it to you both."_

_Jonas' voice interrupted, sounding slightly nervous. "Don't mean to rush you Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with."_

_Her father sighed, "Okay, go ahead Jonas. Goodbye, Posey, I love you. Never forget that."_

"Yeah, well." Said Posey, slightly bitterly. "You've certainly got a funny way of showing it there, Daddy Dearest."

She immediately felt a little bad for her bitter cynicism. She knew her father loved her. He'd said so himself, he thought the vault would be the safest place for her. He didn't want her to have a life on the Wasteland. But did he ever consider what SHE wanted? She wanted Freedom! Freedom she couldn't get in the Vault.

Well, regardless of her father's wishes, or her own for that matter, she was here. Out in the wastes, with a gun she barely knew how to use and no idea what to do next. She didn't know where her father was, what he was doing. But Megaton was the best thing she had to go off of right now. Surely, her father would have stopped by seemed the only place to get supplies or information. So Megaton was her first stop.

The walk wasn't terribly long or difficult and the night air was brisk, bordering on cold and she was glad of Butch's jacket around her shoulders, something she never thought she'd say. It was early spring, April third, but that didn't mean much in the Vault. Did it out in the Wastes? Spring in all of the Pre-War books she'd read was all about things growing and coming alive after winter. But here, there didn't seem to be much sign of life, or even winter for that matter. Did it snow in the Wasteland? She hoped it did, she loved seeing pictures of snow. She could make snowman maybe. She laughed quietly to herself. She was nineteen years old and had just been actively chased from her home to a new and hostile environment, and she was fantasizing about building a snowman.

"Well," She mused, scrambling over a hunk of rubble and continuing on her way. "No one ever accused me of being mature."

As Megaton slowly came into view, Posey had to stop, staring in awe at the structure.

It seemed to be made entirely out of junk. Scrap metal and the doors from what she guessed were cars and wings from what she knew to be airplanes comprised the walls and gates barring her way. The place seemed to be held together with barbed wire and rusty bolts but oddly enough looked rather sturdy. The rounded top made it look strangely impressive. Like a fortress.

"Please,"

Posey jumped and let out a yelp, looking wildly around for the cause of the hoarse voice. She saw an old man, leaning against a boulder and looking positively destitute. He was almost camouflaged in the dusty landscape. Shriveled with age and clothed in rags his watery eyes looked out of his weather beaten face, looking hopeless.

"Please," He croaked again, "do you have, water?" He licked his cracked and bleeding lips and Posey felt her heart clench in sympathy.

"Yeah, of course, just a second." She reached into her bag and found one of her water bottles from Amata and offered it to him.

He snatched with surprising speed and strength and Posey jumped in shock and watched with wide eyes as he guzzled it down, little rivulets dribbling from the sides of his mouth. He looked up at her, and said gratefully, "Thank you, thank you miss!"

"Y-you're welcome." Said Posey, slightly unnerved. It was her first encounter with someone not from the Vault and she didn't know what to make of it. Then, she had an idea, "Sir?" She asked hesitantly, stepping a little closer. "I'm looking for my father, have you seen him? Middle aged man, graying hair and a short beard, blue eyes. He would have been wearing a vault suit like mine."

"Aye, I saw a man like that yesterday, he went on inside of Megaton, after he too gave me some water, bless both of your souls Miss."

"Thank you." Said Posey again, smiling down at him. She reached into her bag and brought out another bottle and handed it to him. "Try and ration that one a little bit." She said with a smile.

The man's watery eyes looked even more so with unshed tears. Posey felt uncomfortable at his tearful reaction and turned and hurried into Megaton. A clunky robot with a star welded onto it's chest greeted her with his static filled automated voice, "Welcome, to. MEGATON. Friendliest, town, around."

"Uh," Posey glanced around, but there was no one in sight. "Thank you?"

The robot made no response, and, feeling foolish, Posey rushed towards the large gate. Some sort of mechanics ground to life and Posey paused, just barely reigning in a terrified squeak as the gates slowly and with a cacophony of creaks and squeals, the gates ascended, displaying two enormous metal doors. Uncertain what to do, Posey pushed on them experimentally. With an awful screech, they swung inward and Posey jumped again. She wished she could settle her nerves and stop jumping out of her skin anytime something in her vicinity moved.

If Posey had to choose one word to describe the town before her, dusty would probably be her first choice. The color scheme seemed to consist of varying shades of brown and grey with an occasional splash of rust or corroded orange. Yet, as Posey stood on the edge of the dirt packed road, she felt a bit of a fellow feeling towards the settlement. The place felt secure, the walls seemed thick and the ramshackle buildings oddly sturdy, yet she could still see the sky, and breathe the hot and slightly dusty air. In the vault, the air had always seemed to carry a slight metallic tang, and was musty, bordering on humid. This Wasteland breeze was as close as she was going to get to fresh air.

"I'll be damned, you're from that vault, Vault 101."

Posey started slightly as a rough voice sounded from her right and she whirled around trying to find the speaker.

"Settle down, girlie, just saying hi."

Posey's eyes landed on an older man, probably around the same age as her father, perhaps a little younger. Age was a difficult thing to guess out in the wasteland, where everyone had wrinkles around their eyes from squinting in the Wasteland's harsh light and a seemingly permanent grim expression. The man let out a deep throated chuckle, "A little twitchy there, aren't you missy? You haven't been trippin' on some psycho down in that hole have you? Didn't think that's how those vault dwellin' prudes went, but how would I know? I ain't seen one of those jumpsuits in a long time."

Posey had no idea what this man was talking about. "Um," she said hesitantly, the man grinned, his teeth were surprisingly white and even. "I'm just teasing, I can tell you're not a druggie. Name's Lucas Simms, town sheriff. Mayor too, when the need arises."

"Oh," Posey cleared her throat slightly, "I'm Posey, Posey Bennett."

"I don't know why but I like you girlie, something tells me you're all right. So welcome to Megaton! Just holler if you need something."

Posey smiled broadly and once again felt a sudden rush of affection for this odd little town, and it's inhabitants.

"Thank you, this is a lovely town sheriff."

Lucas Simm's guaffed loudly and Posey repressed the urge to jump as he did so, it was such a sudden and loud thing that it did give her a bit of a fright.

"Friendly AND well mannered? Even if it was a stone cold lie, it was a nice one. I think we're going to get along just fine. You treat my people nice, and you're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Right, of course. Thank you again, Mr. Simms."

The man chuckled again, "Damn, where on earth did you come from? What's goin' on down in those vaults that they've go they're younguns saying mister? Have a good stay in Megaton,  _Miss_  Bennett."

"Thanks, Mr. Simms I'll-" Posey's eye caught something over his shoulder and her jaw dropped "Is that a  _bomb?_!"

Lucas turned and glanced over his shoulder almost as if he'd forgotten the enormous rocket in the middle of his town.

"Sure is, but it's perfectly safe. Probably."

" _Probably?!_ Don't you think you should have somebody look at it?"

"I don't know if you've noticed Miss Bennett but this town is a little short on eggheads. Most folks don't even realize it's still a threat. I'd rather not clue them in. If you've got some sort of Vault Tech info that can help disarm that thing, be my guest, I'll even throw in a hundred caps for you. But don't blow us all up. Understand?"

"I," Posey swallowed. "Uh,"

Sure, she meant someone should look at it, but she certainly didn't mean herself.

"Girlie, that bomb has been sitting here for two hundred years. It's not about to blow up now." He seemed to be trying to soothe her worried look but, she wasn't sure how well it was working.

"Yeah, and I mean if you wanted I could look at it." Poesy paled a little, "I know a little about explosives."

What Jonas had taught her about old Pre-War stuff from a book she'd brought him, anyway.

"Well that doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence." Said Lucas dryily. "Just don't blow us all up, Vault Girl."

He started to walk away but Posey took a step forward,calling, "Wait, Mr. Simms, sheriff."

The man turned, his cowboy hat casting his face into shadow from the murky moonlight above.

"I'm looking for my father. I think he must have passed through here earlier, yesterday maybe? Middle aged man, short beard. He would be wearing a Vault jump suit too, and probably a lab coat."

The sheriff shook his head, "Let me give you a piece of advice, vault girl, people topside don't take too kindly to questions."

"But-" Posey's heart sank as the man walked away. All familiar ties that she had previously felt for the dusty little gathering shrank sharply and she felt her mouth crease into a deep frown. Now what was she suppose to do?

Posey took a few hesitant steps down towards the center of town, looking around the place with interest. It really was a marvel the town wasn't falling apart, it seemed to be barely held together with duct tape and barbed wire. How long had it survived here? It seemed old, but maybe the materials were old to begin with. She wondered if Lucas Simms would be a bit more accommodating with that sort of information or if he'd stayed tight lipped about that too.

Lost in her own thoughts, Posey didn't really pay attention to where she was meandering, until she heard something that sent a total shock to her systems. A  _moo?_ She looked to find the perpetrator of the strange noise and took a horrified step back in spite of herself. Something that resembled what she knew to be a cow from one of her favorite books as a child stood staring morosely at her with two  _four eyes. A two headed cow!_ The owner of the freakish creature eyed her suspiciously, and at her continued ogling, his gaze turned hostile.

"What?" he demanded, "Never seen a Brahmin before? Move along!"

Before Posey could answer that no, she'd  _never_ seen that thing before, she was roughly brushed past by a man with a shaved head and a lit cigarette dangling from his lips, who gave her a disdainful sneer before moving on past. She stumbled away from the man and the creature and quickly turned and found herself standing next to a stall of some sorts that seemed to be selling food. Her stomach growled, but unfortunately her money situation was worse than her food situation. She had nothing, besides what Amata packed her, and she didn't think the owners would take kindly to her bringing her own food to their stall. Perhaps she could at least sit there for a minute, catch her breath and gather her thoughts before she carried on. Maybe the women behind the counter would be more willing the assist her than the town sheriff. But if she did slow down, did take a moment to gather her thoughts, she was afraid they would overwhelm her. Her dad missing, her money, or rather lack there of, situation. She could already feel the panic building like static on an old monitor's screen building behind her eyes, her anxiety coming to a dizzying peak between her ears. What was she  _doing?!_ She was going to die out here, on this savage wasteland with two headed cows and bald, smelly and mean old men!

Without realizing it, she'd sunk onto one of the stools in front of the bar. The woman wiping the counter looked at her with something not unlike concern. Posey offered her a weak smile, which the women didn't return.

"I'm just, uh, resting for a moment." Said Posey, "I won't loiter here long, I promise."

The women still looked wary but offered Posey. "I don't think I've ever seen you around before." She said carefully. "I'm Jenny Stahl, you must be new to Megaton."

Posey felt a true smile form on her face, and some of the overwhelming panic pressing on her chest dissipated slightly. It wasn't much, but it was one of the friendlier interactions she'd had recently.

"This is my first time in Megaton. I'm Posey Bennett. Nice to meet you Jenny. Thanks for letting me crash at your bar for a bit."

"No problem, you looked a little lost. Tell me what brings you-"

They were interrupted by a loud sigh and someone settling noisily on the stool one down from Posey's.

"Afternoon, Colorado." Said Jenny. The man, Colorado, didn't respond, simply slapped down a couple of what seemed to be bottle caps on the counter.

"I'll take an order of whatever's hot." He said shortly

"Always a pleasure, Colorado." Said Jenny dryly. Posey couldn't take her eyes off this new stranger, seated at the counter. He didn't seem to notice her, which suited her just fine.

His age was difficult to pin down, everyone out in the wastes she'd encountered thus far seemed to be careworn and grim, and he was no exception but, still. There was something about him. Posey had seen handsome men before. Butch Deloria, while a complete ass hole was an undeniably good looking. Her Father, many people had told him what a handsome man he was, although that completely different. That was her Dad. She'd harbored a little bit of a crush on Freddy Gomez, but this man, this Colorado, he was different. He had none of Butch's smooth, put together appearance. Nothing like Freddy's boyish, cheerful charm. He was broad, and though seated, Posey could tell he would be tall. His dark hair was cut close to his scalp, and he seemed to be focusing on something troubling. His thick dark eyebrows were drawn down and his lips were slightly pursed, and with such a delicate cupid's bow, it contrasted with the rest of his strikingly masculine face. He had a nose that made Posey want to take up drawing just so she could get it down on paper, strong and with just the right sort of bump where Posey knew bone met cartilage, but what Posey really noticed was freckles. His face had a scattering of them, mostly concentrated on his nose and across his cheeks but truly there were freckles all across his skin, even on his hands that she could see resting on the table, his long, broad fingers tapping against the uneven metal surface.

It took her a moment to realize she was blatantly staring at him before she blushed and looked down, picking at a loose seam on her suits' arm. Jenny had caught it however and smirked as she handed Colorado a plate of,  _something._ This only caused Posey's blush to increase, or maybe it was a sunburn, she couldn't tell. She hadn't been out in the sun long but she could already feel the effects on her practically newborn skin.

"So, what brings you to Megaton?" Asked Jenny, and Posey looked up at her, still feeling a little pink.

"I'm looking for someone." She said, shifting on her stool and gripping her duffle bag a little tighter in her lap. Her old anxiety was starting to creep back up on her now that Jenny had mentioned her original purpose for being there.

Jenny smirked "Aren't we all?"

"I'm looking for my Dad." Elaborated Posey. "I don't suppose you've seen him? He probably passed through here yesterday, he'd be wearing a jumpsuit like man, older guy, greying hair."

Jenny looked thoughtful as she started wiping the counter down again. "Can't say that I have seen anyone like that. I was inside all day yesterday helping in the restaurant."

Posey let out a sigh. "Of course. Just my luck. Do you know someone I could ask?" Posey saw her eyes flit up towards a higher level of Megaton before she dropped her gaze.

"No one off the top of my head. Don't go poking around too much though, okay? You seem like a good kid, and there a lot of people who don't like it when people ask too many questions."

"But-"

"Listen, like I said, you seem like a nice kid, but unless you're going to buy something, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're holding up my other customers."

"You have no other customers! No one is here!" Said Posey angrily, "I'm just trying to find my dad and get out of this place but the only thing I've gotten so far is dirty looks and 'don't ask questions'. and I'm sorry but you can wipe that counter down all you want it's still going to be dirty and I just want to find my dad and leave you all alone!"

Jenny didn't say a word, just continued wiping the damn counter.

"Jenny-" Pleaded Posey.

"Oh for hell's sake." Growled Colorado, and both Posey and Jenny looked at him in surprise. He was turned so he was completely facing Posey and glaring at her with the greenest eyes she'd ever seen, the brightest thing she'd encountered in this wasteland. "Listen, blondie. You wanna find your dad so bad you better stop running your mouth or you're going to end up on the underside of somebody's boot, you got that? And as for your  _Padre_  there was a man in a suit like yours who came into town yesterday. He went up to the saloon and then left in the same day. You want more info then go ask that slimeball Moriarty up at the saloon, but he won't take your sob story so for your sake I hope you've got a lot of caps saved up." He shoved away from the counter and shouldered a pack that had been by his feet and turned on his heel and stomped off. Posey looked at Jenny, before following suit, and heading up a rusted metal ramp towards a blinking sign that read "SALOON." She didn't know why he'd reacted so angrily, everyone around here just seemed to have some kind of chip on their shoulder.

The place was dark and musty, an acrid smoke filling the air. She'd only smelled cigarette smoke a handful of times. Once when she'd stumbled upon Butch in his gang down on the lower levels when she'd gone to practice shooting, and there was an old man in the vault who always seemed to smell a little like this. But this was something else, the air was clouded with it, and Posey could practically feel it settling into her lungs. The few people that where there stopped their murmuring to give her a once over. She suppressed the urge to shrink back against the door. She tried to appear confident as she headed towards the bar, and eventually the patrons went back to smoking and nursing their drinks. She looked around behind the bar looking for this Moriarty, what she did see made her blood run cold. There was a rotted, mangled  _something_ standing in front of a radio blaring static, banging on the top of it and muttering in a gravely voice.

"Come on you stupid hunk of junk."

A woman with cropped red hair and dark eye makeup leaned against the wall, helping add to the small spaces pollution with her cigarette. "It's not the radio, Gob." She said in a husky voice. "It's the station. It's been out for days." The (was it a man?) behind the counter must have caught Posey's stare because he said, in his rough voice.

"Hey smooth skin? You want something? A drink?"

Posey glanced around, no one else must have been freaking out about this,  _person_. "Me?" She asked, embarrassed by the squeak in her voice. She cleared her throat. "Uh, no. No thanks, I don't want a drink."

He, she was pretty sure it was a he, blinked in surprise. "Wait, you're not going to hit me? Yell at me? Throw something at me?"

Posey couldn't stop staring, but managed to shake her head.

"Huh, your first time seeing a ghoul?" He caught sight of the yellow stitched "101" on her suit. "Must be if you're from that vault. You're taking it better than most. I'm use to most smooth skins trying to take a swing at me. You seem alright." He glanced around. "Moriarty would kill me if he caught me selling at a discount, but for you, I'd risk it."

Posey managed a smile, which he returned. It made a slight improvement to his rotting skin.

"I'm Gob." He said, "You sure about that drink?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm Posey."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. Hey, Gob, there is something you could help me with."

Gob looked up at her, waiting.

"I'm looking for my dad. Middle aged man, graying hair, a suit like mine. He pass through here?"

"Yeah, I saw him."

Posey felt a thrill go through her at this,

"Where is he? Did he stay here?"

"Nah, he talked to Moriarty then left."

"Where's Moriarty?"

"Did somebody call for me?"

Gob shrank back as Posey turned to see a man standing behind her, tall and broad, with untidy white hair and a close trimmed goatee. He looked down at her with glittering dark eyes, and his lips twisted up in a smile.

"What can I do ya for, miss?" His lilting accent was completely foreign to Posey's ears.

"Are you Moriarty?" She asked hesitantly.

"The one and only."

"I'm looking for my dad. I hear you talked to him."

Moriarty looked at her, seemingly stymied before letting out a loud laugh. Posey, and everyone in the vicinity started at the sudden burst of mirth.

"Well I never," Said Moriarty, looking at her with new interest. Posey set her chin definitely and gripped the strap of her duffle bag tighter. "It's you! The little baby girl, all grown up. Persistent little flower, ain't ya? Then and now it would seem."

"I don't-"

"Oh I remember you, of course. It's been some time though, and I must say. You grew up awfully nicely, even if you are the vision of your old man. Yeah, I saw your Dad alright. He passed through here yesterday. Got what he came for and left."

"How do you know me? What do you mean baby girl? We've never met. My father and I were both born in Vault 101."

"Is that what your father told you?" Said Moriarty through a chuckle, giving Posey a wicked grin. "That you were  _born_ in that hole? That he was born there as well!" Moriarty let out a delighted laugh again. "Oh the lies we tell to the ones we love."

Posey felt rather like she'd missed a step going down the stairs, she stared up at this Moriarty and had the sudden urge to pluck every stupid hair out of his stupid goatee.

"My father-" She began angrily,

"Your father brought you to the vault right after you were born." Said Moriarty, loudly covering up Posey's protests. "To keep you safe, you see. I remember it well-you stayed in my saloon, after all."

Seeing the look of disbelief cross her face, he pushed ruthlessly on, seeming to draw immense delight from her shell shocked appearance.

"That's right, your father, his brotherhood of steel friend, and you, the suckling babe with nary a tit to suckle." Here, Moriarty softened slightly "Sorry about your mom, truly."

"It's-" Posey tried to begin again but Moriarty continued,

"Ah, but life goes on. Daddy lied," Posey recoiled like he'd knifed her. "life is  _full_ of little disappointments isn't it?"

Posey clenched her jaw and glared up at him, her hands curling into fists around the strap of her duffle bag.

"And now, you're all grown up..." Moriarty took his time letting his gaze lazily travel over her form. Posey fought the urge to shiver and instead forced out a sneer. "And wondering where daddy dearest has got to."

"Do you know where he is or not?" She demanded, "Quit jerking me around."

"Glad to see you've got a little spark despite that oppressive vault upbringing! You seem like a nice kid, so I'll be straight with you. Your dad was here, and now he's not, and yes-" He paused as Posey opened her mouth, unconsciously leaning forward slightly. "I, know where he went." He said, again flashing her a wicked little smirk. "But what you're asking for is information. And information is a commodity."

"What do you want, Moriarty."

"I don't know what they taught you down in that hole but a commodity has to be sold, at a  _reasonable_ market price. So?" He raised his eyebrows, "That begs the question, what is reasonable? Let's say..." He appeared to be mulling it over. Posey gripped her bag so tightly, her nails bit into her palms around the straps. "One hundred caps, and daddy's location is yours."

Posey's heart sank. "You call that reasonable!" She demanded, although in truth she had no idea how their monetary system worked up here. Caps? Like those things Colorado had payed Jenny Stahl with?

"I don't have that kind of money." She said defiantly.

"Won't get far topside without any caps, little missy. But I'll tell you what, I'll do you a favor, for old time's sake and in turn, maybe you can do a little, favor for me."

"Favor? What favor?"

"Nothing too crooked." Said Moriarty, "This junkie bitch named Silver borrowed quite a few caps from me, said she could funnel jet and psycho to me for a good price. Problem is she took off with the goods and the caps and set herself up in Springvale so she could inject herself into a stupor."

Posey wasn't sure what Jet or Psycho was but she was quite sure if Moriarty wanted it she didn't.

"Get the caps from her and they're yours. Yours to pay me with anyway." He let out another little chuckle and Posey wanted to vomit. She didn't want to work with this man. She didn't want to do him any favors. If she was being completely honest she wanted to take the nearest settler's drink in throw it in his face. Surely there was someone else who knew where her dad was.

"I get the caps and you'll tell me where my dad is?" She asked slowly.

"Cross my heart."

Posey stared up at him, gnawing her bottom lip. She could talk to someone else. Someone else in the bar must have seen, or heard something.

"The longer you stall," Said Moriarty, tilting his head slightly and looking at her with raised eyebrows. "The further your daddy could be getting."

Posey looked down, let out a sigh and slowly raised her gaze, forcing herself to meet Moriarty's keen eyes.

"Where' Springvale?"

* * *

Colorado

Colorado was trying to shake off the encounter with that odd, Vault girl with little success. For some reason, he couldn't seem to get that image, her with her enormous blue eyes looking at him in shock and something not unlike fear, out of his head. She was nothing like he'd ever seen before, so pale she seemed almost translucent, and the way she looked out at everything, like it was all fascinating and new. Which now that he thought about it, for her it probably was. He didn't like the look of her, too delicate, too fragile. Like someone had plopped a tiny bird in a room full of manky cats. She was going to get devoured in the Wasteland.

He entered Craterside Supply, giving Moria's Merc a nod, which he returned. Colorado had done some Merc work himself a couple of times, it wasn't a bad job. For the most part, he respected the people who did it.

"Good evening Mr. Colorado, it's a bit late for a visit don't ya think?" Moria, ever the chipper one, paused in her sweeping to give him a ready smile.

"You're not closed yet, I don't think that constitutes as late." He dropped his pack on the counter and started unloading the things he'd scavenged from his latest plunge out in the Waste. Extra guns, random parts Moria liked to tinker with and some Pre-War books still in readable condition, and countless other little bits and bobs that Moria seemed to delight in.

"Ooo! What a bundle of treasures you've got for me today!" She said eagerly.

Colorado said nothing, he was never quite sure what to say to Moria, so more often than not, he remained silent.

"Where did you find all this?" She asked, picking up a motorcycle brake.

"Around," Said Colorado, looking absently at a cut on the back of his hand and trying to remember how he got it. "what's your bid?"

"Well, for this much I'd say about two hundred caps."

Colorado raised his eyebrows, and slowly started gathering up his things.

"Hey!" Protested Moria, "What are you doing?"

"I can get three hundred in Rivet City from the buyers there. Already got an offer."

"But you'd have to walk all the way back there, I'll give you two-fifty."

"Three hundred."

"Two seventy five."

Colorado simply stared, and Moria, who he could tell was growing increasingly irritated by each silent second, finally burst out, "Fine! Three hundred! You are such a _bully_ , Mr. Colorado!"

"Got to make a living somehow." He said, pushing across the items for sale and accepting the small pouch full of caps. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Hmph, maybe next time you should just stay in Rivet City and sell to your fancy buyers there."

"Maybe next time I will, I just thought you'd appreciate these books more."

Moria scowled at him and Colorado simply gave her a slight smile before heading out into the night. It was nearly nine, judging from the light as he headed up to the water treatment plant. He'd see if Walter had any jobs for him to do, then he'd head off to the commons house and rest up before he ventured back out into the Wastes, or maybe he'd stick around for a little longer. He hadn't quite decided yet.

"Evening Walter," Called Colorado as he opened the door to the water treatment facility. "I've got you some more scrap metal."

"What?" Came the sharp voice of Walter, one of the few people Colorado associated with on a regular basis that didn't want to mug him.

"I said, I'VE GOT SOME SCRAP METAL FOR YOU!"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT I'M NOT THAT DEAF YET!"

Colorado smiled to himself and started pulling the promised scrap metal out of his pack while Walter approached him, wiping his hands on an oily rag.

"Not as much as last time." Remarked Walter, "You running out of places to scavenge?"

"Nah, I was just a little rushed this time. Ran into a couple more Raiders than I was ready for. I can go back later."

While Walter counted out the agreed amount for the scraps, Colorado asked,

"You got any jobs for me yet?"

"Yes, I've been waitin' for you to get yourself back here, I've got four leaks sprung up around town and I need you to patch them. I'm too tired for hopping about and crawling all over this junk heap."

"Sounds good to me."

"Fifty caps for the leaks?"

"Keep your caps, and just watch my stuff for me tonight, I hate taking it with me when I'm sleeping in the common house. Make sure you lock up tight though."

"You should just buy a house here, and actually put down some roots for once. Quit being such a gypsy."

"Goodnight Walter." Said Colorado, stowing his pack in one of the lockers at the back of the plant and taking a tool belt from a bench, and swapping his leather armor for a jumpsuit not unlike Walter's.

Colorado liked Megaton better at night, the moon was bright and a few of the string lights around town were glowing softly in the dark, bathing the place in a softer light than when it was baking in the Wasteland sun, not to mention there were a lot less people around. He followed one of the many pipes leading from the water treatment plant around town. Now that Walter mentioned it, he thought he saw a leak on the main thoroughfare, leading down to the center of town. Deciding to start there, he headed off, feeling the cool night air on his skin. That was another thing, his leather armor and bulky scavenger pack were helpful, but it was nice to leave them off every once and a while. Trade it for something a little more breathable. He founded the leak without to much issue, and settled down, straddling the pipe and looking at it with a slight frown. He had a couple of options, and as he rummaged around in the pockets of the tool belt, he mulled them over.

_A patch wouldn't hold for too long, but it might until I can find some better metal to weld on here. Does Walter have a welding torch? I wonder-_

He heard footsteps approaching and glanced up, and then looked back down to his pipe, frowning. He did a double take though as he saw the Vault girl walking up the slight hill, headed for the doors out of Megaton. She'd seen him too, and she paused slightly, the two of them staring each other down. She was so odd. With a face like that, pretty, he supposed, but nothing like any kind of pretty he'd ever run into. Not haughty, or worn down, or attempting to appear as seductive as possible, like a couple of women he knew. Just, pretty. Too pretty, china plate kind of pretty that was bound to smash. Once, he'd found a tea cup when he was out scavenging, at least he'd assumed that's what it was. Hardly a chip in it, with a pale blue flower painted on it and curling green vines, and such white porcelain. Then, some Raiders had found him, and he'd dropped it. He still remembered that odd tinkling crash, and watching those bright white fragments scatter across the grimy floor.

She looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion, and those bright blue eyes narrowed.

"Carolina," She said stiffly, walking past him.

"It's Colorado." He said reflexively.

"Whichever."

"Where are you going?" He called, in spite of himself, he immediately regretted his decision though as she slowly turned on the spot, eyebrows raised.

"Don't you know? People in the Wastes don't like it when you ask a lot of questions." She said primly.

Colorado scowled and watched as she was swallowed up by the murky dark of the Wasteland. He turned back to the pipe, now determined to fix the stupid thing.

Stupid vault girl, he thought, angrily tightening a valve next to the leak. She'll be dead in a week.

 _Then why_ , he wondered, _are you wishing you'd asked her name?_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've got the whole thing outlined I just am crap at using this sight! I know how I want it to go, it's just the struggle of getting it there... but thanks for sticking with I love you all! That's right, you reading this, I love you. Because you're reading this. Thank you! You know what I'd love even more though, *Stage whisper* "A review!
> 
> Just sayin'
> 
> Oh and P.S. Colorado is an OC, so if any of you are wracking your brains trying to figure out who the heck this Colorado character is, he's mine :) What do you guys think of him?


	5. Boulevard of Broken Dreams

**Chapter Five**

**"Boulevard of Broken Dreams"**

**I walk a lonely road**   
**The only one that I have ever known**   
**Don't know where it goes**   
**But it's home to me and I walk alone**

**I walk this empty street**   
**On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams**   
**Where the city sleeps**   
**And I'm the only one and I walk alone**

**My shadow's the only one that walks beside me**   
**My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating**   
**Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me**   
**'Til then I walk alone**

* * *

Posey

As Posey walked back towards the burned out husk of the town she'd first stumbled upon, she tried not to think about anything except the feel of the cool night air around her and the sound of her vault tec issued boots crunching down over the gravel and dirt under her feet. She definitely wasn't going to think about everything Moriarty had told her back in his dingy saloon.

" _Is that what he told you? That you were_ born  _in that hole?"_

She ground her teeth together and ran her hands angrily through her hair, twisting her fingers until she could feel the pull at the roots.

" _The lies we tell to the ones we love."_

She kicked a rock away viciously, but still wasn't satisfied.

" _Daddy lied,"_

The moon hung, fat and full above her head, illuminating the rubble that was all that remained of the road, casting her shadow ahead of her. Long, thin and inky black. She remembered when she was sixteen, down on the reactor level playing catch with her dad, asking if she was going to die down in that metal contraption. Asking if he'd been born there, in the vault.

" _Of course I was."_

She couldn't keep on dwelling on this, she couldn't. She could feel the anger bubbling in her chest, hot and licking at her brain curling into her heart,sending its vicious waves of heat and rage throughout her whole body with every pump of her heart. She could feel her nails digging into her palms, feel the skin stinging. She focused on that, the more her palms hurt, the less her insides did, so she squeezed her fists tight, and kept stomping on, eyes trained on the burned out houses.

_Liar, liar, liar, LIAR._

She let out an involuntary cry of pain and stopped, bringing her hands up to her face. She'd broken the skin there in her palms, tiny crescent like indentations stinging at the contact with the night air. She traced one of the small wounds, shaking her head slightly. She'd never been so angry before, but then again, she'd never had reason to be this angry before. It was difficult learning that she'd been living for nineteen years based completely on a lie. She was growing to hate that word.  _Lie_. She paused for a moment, letting her eyes drift shut. She concentrated on her breathing. She felt a slight breeze lift her hair away from her face, she felt her pulse in her neck. She was still alive. That had to count for something. It was amazing that she could say that at least. She made it farther than anyone in the vault thought possible. She tried to focus on that, on the fact that her heart was still beating in her chest and that she was relatively unscathed. She could almost see her dad, that half smile on his face, and hear his voice,

" _Your vitals seem to be fine, so off to school with you."_

"No, think about something else, something ELSE." She growled to herself. Not her dad, she couldn't think about him right now. She  _could_ think about that man, Colorado or whatever state it was. She'd seen him again before she'd left. He was fixing a pipe, bent over it in concentration, his broad shoulders straining a jumpsuit similar to the maintenance workers down in the vault would wear as he'd stared down at the pipe, frowning slightly and toying with a wrench in his hands. He'd looked up as she'd approached and she was again struck at how vivid his eyes were. She'd never seen that kind of green before, not anywhere.

"Where are you going?" He'd asked.

_Why do you care?_ She'd wanted to answer. Why  _did_  he care? He'd been so brusque when she first ran into him. He didn't even know her name. So why did he care where she was going? What did it matter to him?

Colorado was a good distraction, because she was soon walking between the burned out houses, their shadows mingling with hers now in the bright moonlight. It had to be nearly ten, if not eleven, and Posey could feel the beginnings of exhaustion settling in. But she pushed that aside, scanning the place for anything remotely livable. A small ranch style house at the end of a long row of dilapidated buildings caught her eye. The place was still standing, and had at one time had boards across the door. They were torn down now though, the rotting two by fours scattered haphazardly aside. This must have been the place where Silver was hiding out. Posey carefully rested her hand on her gun, almost unconsciously. All she had to do was get the caps back from Silver. Moriarty didn't say how, just that she had to get them back. Maybe she could just, ask?

Somehow, she didn't think that was going to go over well.

Posey rested her hand on the doorknob, trying to avoid the tender flesh of her palms, and hesitantly, opened the door.

The first thing she noticed was how filthy the place was. Just because it had four walls and a roof didn't mean it had escaped the ravages of time. Her nostrils were immediately greeted by the smell of must and mildew, accompanied by something sharper, something sour that she'd gotten a whiff of in Moriarty's. She'd guessed it must be alcohol of some form. Posey didn't see anyone, so she stepped a little further inside.

"Who the hell are you?"

The voice startled Posey and she whirled around to see a women standing just beyond the edge of light that a single naked bulb provided, glaring over at Posey with her hand on her hip. Posey assumed this would be Silver, her stylish curls were a platinum blonde, and as she stepped into the light Posey could see that they did seem to glow silver. Now that she was in the light, Posey could also see there was something, unstable about her. She was beautiful, but her pale grey eyes seemed, fractured. Her face too gaunt, cheekbones too sharp.

"Where did you come from?" She demanded, and Posey saw her hand twitch towards a pistol at her side. "Did Moriarty send you!"

"Whoa, calm down, who's Moriarty?"

The lie startled Posey, but she hoped it didn't show. It had sprung to her lips as she'd watched Silver's hand twitch towards her gun. Simple and easy as breathing. She felt her stomach turn.

"Colin Moriarty. The owner of the saloon in Megaton. He's got in his head that I'm some kind junkie that stole money from him. And now he's sent you to come kill me and take it back, is that it?!"

"No! No, I'm not going to kill you." Said Posey, attempting to be soothing. "Here, just, don't shoot, I'm going to put my gun down alright? Just-" Posey placed her hand on her pistol "don't shoot me."

Silver's fingers twitched again, but she didn't react when Posey gripped her gun then slowly, slowly set it on the ground.

"Okay, so know that shooting you is out of the question." Said Posey slowly. "Moriarty did send me."

"You!"

"But I'm not going to kill you!" Said Posey emphatically. "He sent me for one hundred caps, he just said to get the caps back. You give me the caps and I'll tell him you're gone."

"What?" Silver looked taken aback. "You... You'd do that? For me?"

"I don't want to kill you." Said Posey, "I just need those caps so Moriarty will tell me where my dad went."

"If I give you the caps, then say that I'm gone, then he'll ask where the caps came from."

Posey frowned slightly. She hadn't thought of that.

"Then forget the caps. I'll tell him I couldn't find you."

"Why are you doing this?" Asked Silver brokenly. "You could have just killed me and taken them? Who are you?"

"I'm Posey Bennett. I'm from Vault 101. And I really don't think I could have killed you. Listen, I've got to get back. If Moriarty doesn't take the bait, I'll be back again tonight to warn you that he'll try again."

"No, here." Silver turned and reached into a cupboard under a cracked and filthy porcelain sink. She pulled out a rusted lunchbox, opened it up, and handed Posey a small pouch.

"Take it, one hundred caps, and tell him you killed me for it."

"What? No, I-"

"Then tell him I ran off, whatever he'll take but here. Take it. Before I change my mind."

Posey accepted the pouch, and reached down to retrieve her gun, Silver tensed for a moment but instantly relaxed again as Posey simply slid it into her holster.

"What'll you do now?" Asked Posey, pausing at the door out of the ranch. Silver shrugged,

"I dunno, shoot myself up until I forget who I am. The Wasteland sucks kid, get used to it."

Posey looked at her, and couldn't help but imagine what a beautiful young women she must have been before she fell into whatever Moriarty had going in his den.

"I'm sorry." Was all Posey said, before she opened the door and left without a backwards glance.

* * *

Moriarty looked surprised to see her as she walked back up the rusted metal ramp towards his saloon. It was nearing midnight, and he was leaning out on the railing, enjoying a cigarette and staring up at the full moon outside his saloon.

"Well I'll be damned," He said with a smirk as Posey approached him, the pouch of Silver's bottle caps gripped tight in her hand. "I never knew ya had it in ya, well done. I was half wondering-"

Posey cut off his statement with a well thrown punch.

"Ach! What the hell is-"

"Can it Moriarty. I have your caps, you bastard."

He looked at her, more surprised than anything, holding his nose.

"Much more of a spark than I bargained, lass." He withdrew his hand, prodding his nose experimentally. There was a slight trickle of blood but nothing appeared to be broken. "You're lucky I like a bit of fire in a woman."

"Take your caps. Now tell me, where is my dad?"

Moriarty caught the sack of caps she tossed at him and gave her a slight smirk.

"Maybe I was wrong about ya, you might just make it out here. You're dad headed to D.C. and if you're smart, ye won't follow him. That place is a bloody war zone. He's probably dead out there."

Posey felt her stomach clench.

"You're sure that's where he went?"

"He wanted to know what was going on in the Capital Wasteland, so I told him the person to ask was that lunatic Three Dog. He's always yapping about some Good Fight or some other lunacy on his station, Galaxy News Radio. So your dad set off the next day."

Posey glanced out over Megaton, trying to see the Wasteland past it's walls. She'd seen the Washington Monument when she'd first escaped the vault, and her Pip-Boy should have been able to pick up on its geographical location by now. D.C. couldn't be that hard to find. She turned and started back down the ramp, deciding she'd better find a place to catch a couple of hours of shut eye and down some of her vault food before setting out.

"Oy, Miss Bennett."

She paused, and turned back to Moriarty, not bothering to hide her look of disdain.

"What happened to Silver?"

"She's dead." Said Posey. "She was dead when I got there. Must have had too much of whatever she stole from you."

She turned back and headed down the ram again, before her face could give her away. Lying came too easy out here. She found Lucas Simms, walking back to what she assumed was his house and stopped him, asking where she could sleep.

"What? Not found of Moriarty's prices and company?" He asked, smiling slightly.

"I'll never go back there again, if I can help it."

"Well there's a common house, just down the road. Free to the public. Keep a close watch on your things though."

"Thanks."

"Any luck on your dad?"

Posey felt her lips twitch down slightly in a frown,

_Yeah, and no thanks to you, Calamity Jane._

"Yes, Moriarty told me he went to D.C."

Simms let out a low whistle. "Rough country over there. You're not going after him, are you?"

"What choice do I have? Stay here with no caps and wind up a prostitute for Moriarty? I'd rather take whatever's waiting for me in D.C."

Simms looked at her carefully. Her vault tec suit was dirty and rumpled her pale, fresh from the vault skin had already received a slight sunburn, and she already seemed harder, somehow. When he'd first seen her, with all her "Thank yous" and wide smiles, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. The Wasteland was going to tear her apart, or make her unrecognizable. He wished he'd been wrong.

"Be careful out there, then. You'll want to take the metro, as a short cut. Only way into D.C. these days. Full of Feral Ghouls and Super Mutants though."

"Full of what now?"

Simms sighed. this girl was going to get demolished.

"Wait right here, I'll be back."

He turned and jogged up a slight slope, disappearing amid the rusted buildings. Posey shook her head. This man was being very wishy wash. First no help at all, now it was a lesson in Wasteland Survival? Still, she'd take help where she could get it. She waited in the lane, looking up at the sky. Directly above Megaton, the sky was relatively clear and she could see the stars, twinkling above her. That at least, remained reason enough to be glad to be rid of the Vault. She stared up at them, wondering if she could ever make up for eighteen years without them when Simms came back. He was holding some kind of rifle and several packages of ammunition.

"Here." Said Simms, handing it to her. "It's a Hunting Rifle. Good condition too. You'll need it to get through that place. And in the morning, talk to Moria Brown at Craterside Supply. She's got an armored Vault tech suit up there. She'll probably let you have it. She's... an odd duck, but a good soul. You know how to use a gun, right?"

"I-" Posey looked up at him in shock, "I had a BB gun when I was a kid."

"Better than nothing. Now don't tell anyone how you got this alright? I can't afford to give the whole town handouts like this. Not to mention half of them would shoot themselves in the foot before they figured the damn things out."

"Sheriff-"

"Don't waste your ammo. It's hard to come by. For things like Bloatflies and Mole Rats, even Rad Scorpions, use that baseball bat of yours. You'll have to get close but it's better to save your ammo for things like Ghouls and Mutants. Get close enough to the them to use your bat and your game is pretty much already over. Got it?"

Posey nodded, lost for words.

"Well then, goodnight, Miss Bennett."

He started to walk away, but Posey called, "Wait, Mr. Simms."

He paused, turning back to her with slightly raised eyebrows.

"Thank you." She said fervently.

"I just hope it's not a waste." He said, and he turned again and left.

Posey gripped her new gun tightly, then looked back up at the stars again.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Me too."

* * *

Colorado

The common house was relatively empty tonight. There were two other settlers apart from him and they were fast asleep. Colorado envied their easy breathing and quick decent into unconciousness. He laid on the bare mattress, staring up at the one above him. He rolled over again, staring instead at the corrugated tin wall, counting rust spots. He reached twelve and then turned around again letting out an irritated sigh. He was  _tired_. He just couldn't sleep. He couldn't get his worn out brain to shut down. It was like it was on a loop of where to go next and that girl from the vault. He shouldn't be this fixated on her. She was one pretty face amid dozens. Colorado knew women found him attractive, he didn't particularly know  _why_. He was always filthy and more often than not had some sort of ailment: A bruised rib, gash across his chest, fractured knuckles. And he was a drifter. He'd always heard women wanted a man who'd settle down. All of this of course, came from faulty sources, but that wasn't the point. The point was if he wanted a girl, he could probably get one without too much hassle. Nova had flat out told him she'd give him one hell of a discount if he ever wanted one. But it wasn't that. He didn't want that. He didn't know what he wanted.

That fractured tea cup came back to him, and he shook his head, sitting up. That definitely wasn't what he wanted. Strange, dream like metaphors about girls he barely knew and useless ceramics. He rolled out of the bed, running his hands over his close trimmed hair, feeling the short almost stubble like hairs under his rough hand. It was getting longer on top again. The man in Rivet City had done it a little more stylishly than he was use to, leaving some actual length on top. Not much, but in a few weeks he knew it would be flopping in his eyes again and he'd just have to get it all buzzed off again. He was about to claim one of the couches on the first floor when the door opened and there stood the girl from the vault, staring at him with wide eyes. He didn't know what to do, so he stared back. She stepped hesitantly into the room. She held a Hunting Rifle that Colorado didn't think she'd had before, and was looking, if possible, more exhausted than he felt.

She moved past him, "What? No probing questions this time?" She asked, tossing her duffle bag on the top bunk of the bed he'd been sleeping in.

"You said it yourself, Wastelanders don't like questions."

"Good thing I'm not a Wastelander then." She said, hauling herself up onto the bare mattress and flopping backwards with a sigh. She settled her duffle under her head and very carefully laid her rifle next to her, after emptying the bullets from the chamber and turning the safety on. She knew how to handle a gun, somewhat. What was going on down in those vaults?

"What are you then?" He asked, stepping forward.

"Right now? Exceptionally tired."

Colorado watched as she shifted onto her side, trying to get comfortable and what he knew to be a very uncomfortable mattress.

"What's your name?" He asked before he could stop himself. She opened one eye and peered at him from under her arm that she'd draped across her face.

"Posey, Posey Bennett."

"Posey?" He raised an eyebrow, "What kind of a name is that?"

She glared at him, "A name my mother chose, she thought the world could use more flowers."

He looked at her for a moment before letting out slight scoff.

"Flowers don't grow in the wasteland, sweetheart."

"I don't recall asking  _you,_ Mr. Carolina."

"It's Colorado." He said in annoyance but she had turned away from him and with surprising speed, dropped off to sleep. He wondered how long she'd been up. Surely this must have been her first day out of the vault.

A couple of settlers wandered down the stairs to the left and caught sight of the girl, Posey, and exchanged looks with one another. Colorado knew that look. It was a "This'll be a piece of cake" look.

"Oh I'd think real hard about that, Gentleman." He said, turning to face them completely and crossing his arms across his chest. They looked at him petulantly, sizing him up.

"Don't you know? This one's from the vault. You know what kind of messed up crap they've got going on down there?"

They exchanged uneasy glances with each other and Colorado had to control his pleased smirk.

"All sorts of whacked out experimentation. I'm not even sure if she's completely human. I wouldn't mess with this one, if I were you. Who knows what she'll do to you." He shrugged, "But if you wanna give it a try, at least warn a guy. I don't want to be here when she wakes up to find you rummaging through her stuff."

He turned as if he were readying himself for bed and waited till he heard them scurry back up the stairs and allowed him a small, triumphant smile. He glanced around, before claiming the bed he'd originally had, the one under Posey's. He could hear her deep, steady breathing and allowed himself to finally relax. He would at least wake up if those rats came back. That much he knew. He didn't think they would though, and so he allowed himself to slowly drift off.

If someone asked why he was putting so much effort into this Vault girl, he'd probably scowl at them and tell them to mind their own damn business because that's usually how he responded to questions but, in all honestly, he wouldn't have a real answer for them or himself. He simply stared up at the rusted springs above him, and without really realizing it, synced his breathing with hers. He was asleep in minutes.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter out! Woot! What do you guys think of Colorado? He's always been sort of hard for me to pin down and he's been floating around in my head for almost a year now! I tried to keep the word count a little more reasonable this time. Instead of jumping straight to 8,000 words. What can I say, I'm long winded.
> 
> How about the song, huh? Boulevard of Broken Dreams ALWAYS reminds me of Fallout. I knew I had to have that in here at some point. Songs are getting a little more difficult for me to come by now for things that will fit so as always, if you have suggestions, please! Send them my way! I'm in no way a music snob, I'll listen to just about anything. So if you've got 'em, send 'em!
> 
> And once again, thank you SO much for taking the time to read this. I love you all!
> 
> Don't forget to review!


	6. Glory and Gore

**Chapter Six**

**"Glory and Gore"**

**There's a humming in the restless summer air**

**And we're slipping off the course that we prepared**

**But in all chaos, there is calculation**

**You've been drinking like the world was gonna end (it didn't)**

**We mean it but I promise we're not mean**

**Glory and gore go hand in hand**

**That's why we're making headlines**

* * *

**Posey**

Posey didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but when she woke up, the watery light streaming down from the patchy ceiling told her it was still early morning. She rolled over with a groan, fumbling for her Pip-Boy, and blinking sleep out of her eyes. It was around seven in the morning. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and wincing. Her feet and legs were terribly sore. She wasn't use to all this walking, and after checking her Pip-Boy to see how far away Farragut West Metro station Station was, it looked like she'd have a lot more walking ahead of her. She brushed her hair impatiently out of her eyes before letting out a sigh of exasperation as the wispy strands simply fell back in place. She looked around in her duffle and saw that Amanta had somehow managed to get her a small bag full of toiletries, including a brush, several hair ties, and bobby pins (Also useful for picking locks) a bar of soap and a toothbrush and toothpaste. Maybe she'd been a coward when it came right down to it, but she did pack a good overnight bag.

Posey immediately felt a little bad for thinking that way of Amata. It was a hard thing that she'd asked, for Amata to come along with her. She knew why she'd done it, it was cowardice on her part, she didn't want to be alone out here. Well, too late now. After a quick breakfast of some prepackaged Vault food she undid the feeble attempt at an updo she'd had before and began the grisly task of brushing out her tangles.

Her hair now free of snarls, but a little staticy due to the brushing, fell almost to her elbows now, and she started a simple french braid, allowing her fingers to take over and her mind to wander. It felt good to do something as normal as braid her hair, to put some sort of effort towards normalcy, like things hadn't changed. When she was done she could meet her dad in the living room and they'd walk down to breakfast together. He would tease her about something and she would make a face and steal his toast in retaliation and he would pretend to look like old times.

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt a tear splatter onto her leg, making her jump. She shook her head slightly, and took a shaky breath, smoothing back her now braided hair. It felt much better out of her face, but she couldn't promise the neatness of it. What she would have loved was something a little more like a shower but she doubted there would be time to scrounge something like that up. She settled instead for packing up her things, stuffing Butch's jacket into her duffel and slithering down off her bed, gear in hand.

She paused, surprised to see Colorado ( _Was that even his real name? That couldn't be his real name_ ) laying on the bed beneath her own. All the other beds had people in them as well but why did he choose the one right beneath hers? In the watery morning light with its dusty beams falling over his face, she could see that his eyelids were almost the same shade of pink as his lips, and he had the most fantastic eyelashes she'd ever seen. Full, thick and dark, they brushed the tops of his cheeks in his sleep. He let out a soft almost contented sigh and shifted slightly on his cot. The movement startled her and she felt herself flushing again. She stepped back and hurried out of the Common House before she could be caught staring.

No one in Megaton seemed to be early risers. She had the place to herself, and she took a moment to breath in the crisp morning air. There was no wind to rise any dust yet and she determined right then that this was her favorite time of day, as the sun slowly edged its way over Megaton's wall, and the hazy clouds were suddenly painted in such a vivid display that it took her breath away. Pinks, golds and oranges and even swathes of lavender chased each other across the pale blue sky and Posey couldn't tell how long she stood there, in awe of the heavens, but she heard the door behind her open and she whirled around. But it was just a settler she didn't know, who shot her a mistrustful gaze before moving along. Posey relaxed then, and gave one last glance to the sky then headed to the restroom to do as much of a clean up as she could before making her way to Craterside Supply. As she scrubbed her hands and arms and face in the stained sink, she tried to push the image of Colorado, sleeping in the early morning light out of her mind. The way his lips were just barely parted and the lines around his eyes had relaxed, making him look years younger, close to her own age in fact. When that door had opened behind her she was half wishing, half terrified that it would be him who walked through it.

She had other things to worry about though, and as she pulled her vault suit's sleeves back on, she immediately began to worry about what Simms had said about the Metro. Full of Ghouls and Mutants. Gob was a Ghoul, and he seemed alright, once you got over how he looked. But what had Simms said exactly?  _Feral_  Ghouls? Posey had read a lot of books, her vocabulary was fairly extensive. She knew what feral meant.

She pressed her hands over her eyes and took a deep breath. She had nothing else for her here, she  _had_ to go after him. Maybe she'd get lucky. She was small enough that she was usually good at sneaking around and going undetected, yet not to small that she'd be overpowered too easy in a fight. She just hoped Feral Ghouls and Mutants weren't more observant that Jonas when she'd snuck into swap his Nuka Cola with her rigged one that would drop Mint Bombs down it in when he opened it.

"I'm going to die." She mumbled, pressing her hands harder over her eyes until she saw spots on her closed lids. She shook her head, and picked up her stuff.

_No! Don't think like that! You're a good shot and you can_ do  _this. You can sneak past them. You can do this. Dad did it, you can do it. You can do this. You can do this._

She kept up a steady stream of affirmations all the way to Craterside Supply, and when she opened the door, she was greeted by a  _very_  chipper woman behind the counter.

"Good morning! Welcome to Craterside Supply, if you need it, we've got it! I'm Moria Brown!"

Posey had never encountered someone like this woman. She was practically  _beaming_ at Posey, and Posey flashed a weak smile back before stepping fully into the store.

"Morning, Lucas Simms said that-"

"Wait a minute," Said Moria, coming around the counter and looking closely at Posey's suit. "It  _is_  you! You must be that Vault stray I've heard so much about!"

"I, uh-"

"I haven't seen one of those suits in  _years!_ You're just the person I was waiting for! Tell me, what was life in the vault like?"

"Uh, fine? I guess, I don't know. It was, musty." Said Posey, she glanced at a muscle bound man leaning against the wall, he merely glowered and shrugged.

"Musty, huh." Moria looked thoughtful. "Hey, would you mind helping me with the forward for my book? An account of Vault life from an actual vault resident would be amazing!"

"Book?"

All Posey wanted was that armored vault suit she could see hanging up behind the counter and to go after her dad.

"Yes! I'm writing a Wasteland Survival Guide. But I need a little help, oh do say you'll help me! It'll be loads of fun! I'll pay you too!"

"I was actually hoping, Miss Brown-"

"Please! Call me Moria."

"Okay, Moria. I'm looking for my dad, and he's gone to D.C. and I've got to go after him."

Moria's eyes widened. "Well mercy me! That's awful dangerous!"

"So I've heard," Said Posey slightly impatiently. "Lucas Simms told me you had an armored Vault suit? He said you'd be able to, uh, give it, to me."

"Oh, that." Moria turned and looked at the suit then turned back to Posey with a smile. "I know! Why don't we do a little trade! I'll give you the vault suit, and I'll even toss in some more ammo for that Hunting Rifle of yours, and in exchange, once you find your daddy, you come back and help me with my book!"

Posey was getting impatient. She was wasting time with this women. She seemed nice enough but Posey had to get on the road.

"Sure, fine. I'll help you once I find my dad, can I have that suit now, please?"

"Why of course!" Said Moria, grinning and giving Posey's shoulder a little shove. "That's what a trade is, silly! Let me get it down for you!"

Posey rubbed her shoulder ruefully, it was still tender from the blow from Officer Mack. Moria quickly fetched the suit and handed it over to Posey with a grin.

"There's a store room just back here that you can change in if you want. If you give me the suit you're wearing right now I might be able to see if I could reinforce that one as well. I do love tinkering."

"Sure, if you want it." Said Posey slowly. Her current suit was anything but fresh but if this lady thought it could be useful...

Back in the storeroom, Posey shed her old suit and slipped into the armored one. Already she could feel a difference. The new suit was much heavier, and seemed to be enforced with some kind of  _something_ , Kevlar perhaps? The fabric was much harder to bend, and yet wasn't necessarily uncomfortable. She rolled up the legs slightly above her boots, and flexed her arms and legs. She could move well enough, and although the bulky shoulder pads felt a little silly, she was sure they could come in helpful. Shoulders never healed quite right from bullet wounds. She strapped on the utility belt that had come with it and slung the bandoleer around her head so it crossed from her left shoulder down to her right hip. She filled it with the spare ammo Moria had supplied her with, and put the rest in one of the pockets on her belt. There was also a holster strapped to her thigh that her 10 mm pistol fit in rather nicely.

"My goodness, that suit looks like it was just made for you!" Said Moria happily. Posey had to admit it was a much better fit than she was expecting.

"Thank you so much for loaning it to me. I promise I'll come back and help you with your book." Said Posey sincerely.

"Loan? Oh no, it will serve you much better than just hanging back here behind the counter! You go out and find your dad. Good luck! And don't forget my book!"

"I won't, I promise." Said Posey, fitting her rifle in straps across her back. She hoped she could get to it if she need it in a hurry. "I'll be back once I find my dad."

Moria smiled and waved as Posey stepped out of the door.

She felt a little conspicuous in her new suit, but luckily there were still a very small number of people out and about, and Posey felt a little better prepared about whatever she was headed for. She checked her Pip Boy and made sure that her compass was accurate, and it was set for Farragut West Metro station. It was, and as she set off down the rusted walkways, she glanced down at the bomb in the middle of town. She hadn't forgot her promise to look at that, either. She'd definitely be back to Megaton, and hopefully with her father in tow. She paused at the town gates and turned to give the place one last look. Well, she hoped it wouldn't be her last look, but she couldn't help the feeling of trepidation as she turned away and pushed the doors open and stepped out into the Wasteland sunshine.

* * *

Colorado

The stirrings of the other settlers were what woke Colorado and he sat up quickly, already on the alert but nothing seemed to be amiss. Just people starting their day, just like he was. He swung his feet off the mattress and got up, stretching his arms up over his head. He felt a little stiff, but he'd slept in worse places than a Common House bunkbed. Much worse. He turned and was surprised to see the bunk Posey had been occupying was empty. She must have been very quiet about it, or maybe he was just much more tired than he'd thought. It troubled him that he hadn't woken up for that, maybe he wasn't as sharp as he used to be. He glanced around the Common House, but there was no evidence of the girl from Vault 101. Where'd she take off to this time?

_Why do you care?_ He asked himself, setting off for the water treatment plant to get his things from Walter.  _She's no concern of yours. The last thing you need is some helpless puppy tagging along after you with their own agenda._

By the time he reached the water treatment plant, the thoughts of the girl from the vault were long gone and now his mind was churning on where he should head to next. He had quite a few caps from his last few transactions, but the problem was, he never knew what he was saving for. Saving for a better gun, saving for more ammo, then things to repair that gun and he had to get food and water too, didn't he?He knew he was lucky in the caps department, to always have a little to spare, just in case, but he wished he had some kid of goal, an endgame in sight. He hadn't had one of those in years. He knocked on the door and entered, trying to shake these unhelpful thoughts too. He didn't need to be getting all introspective now.

"Come to collect your things?" Asked Walter,

"Yeah, unless you need anything else."

"There's a bit of minor repairs around here that needs to be done." He paused, looking at Colorado through narrowed eyes "You don't look so good, son."

"What? No, I'm fine."

"You look like you need a drink, what's up with you?"

"A drink? Walter, it's not even noon yet."

The old man shrugged, "Might clear your head."

"I don't think that's what alcohol does."

"That's your problem boy, you think too much."

Colorado let out a laugh, "Maybe you're right. I haven't been to Moriarty's in a while."

"Well what are you waiting for? Go on, git."

Colorado let out a slight laugh as the older man pushed him out of the plant and closed the door behind him. Maybe Walter was right, maybe he could use a drink. If it didn't clear his head, maybe at least it would blur the image of that vault girl, Posey, and that stupid tea cup, it's white fragments splattered with scarlet raider's blood. He shook himself and set off to the Saloon. It  _had_ been a while since he'd had a drink.

The place was just as he remembered it, dark and smoke filled, with people skulking in their usual corners and Gob still fiddling with the radio. Moriarty was nowhere to be seen however. Gob looked up as Colorado approached and reached for a glass.

"The usual, Colorado?"

"Sure, thanks Gob."

Colorado took a seat at the bar, eyes sweeping the place. It was a habit that he'd picked up out in the Wastes. Find the potential threats and all the exists, and see if you could spot any good loot while you were at it. Not that he would steal from Moriarty. He wasn't scared of the little man per say, but he wasn't stupid enough to go looking for trouble from him either. Colorado liked the setup he had. The freedom of selling to both Megaton and Rivet City and flit between the two. He didn't want that getting messed up for him.

Gob set down his drink and Colorado accepted it with a word of thanks. Gob nodded and was about to turn back to his radio when Colorado asked suddenly,

"Hey Gob, did you by chance ever see that girl from the vault?"

"Sure did, the little blonde one looking for her dad?"

"Yeah, where did she go?"

Gob looked at Colorado, a smirk playing on what was left of his lips.

"Why? What's it to ya, tough guy? You like the look of her?"

"What? No, I-"

Gob laughed, he'd never seen the usually solemn man this flustered.

"This is the first girl I've ever heard of you having eyes for. Real shame, that is."

"Why?" Said Colorado sharply, putting down his drink. He hadn't even gotten a sip of it yet.

"'Cuz she's probably dead by now. She headed off to D.C. last I heard, to- Hey!"

This last part was delivered in annoyance as Colorado, who finally decided to knock back his drink, choked on the amber liquid, and spat it out in a fine spray, coughing violently.

"Watch it, will ya! I just wiped down the counter!" Said Gob, picking up another rag.

"D.C.?" Sputtered Colorado, his voice hoarse and eyes streaming. "Why the hell would she go there?"

"Moriarty told her that's where her dad went. To G.N.R. Studios."

"That's in the middle of downtown!" He said between coughs.

"I know. Tough break, I liked the kid. She seemed real decent."

Colorado sat, stunned while a grumbling Gob mopped up his mess.

_G.N.R._   _Studios? She'll never make it out of the metro!_

He thought about that tea cup again, watched in slow motion as it smashed to the ground, the blue flower breaking evenly in two. He could see her, Posey, in his mind's eye, drowning in that ridiculous leather jacket and looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

' _look, I'm just trying to find my dad.'_

His grip on the glass tightened and his jaw clenched. Daddy issues, why did it always boil down to Daddy issues?

_Flowers don't grow in the Wasteland, sweetheart_

He stood up so fast he knocked his stool backwards,

"Whoa, buddy." Said Gob, looking a little concerned, "What're you doing?"

Colorado shook his head, thinking hard. He clenched his fist, and unclenched it, drumming his fingers against his thigh.

"Awh hell," he growled and Gob looked more confused than ever as Colorado tossed some caps on the counter and turned, muttering "That's a damn good question, Gob. Just wish me luck, and let's cross our fingers that I actually make it out of this mess."

"What mess?" Called Gob helplessly as Colorado shrugged into his pack.

"Never been to D.C. before. Real shame considering it's so close, don't ya think?"

"But-"

"Don't wait up." He said grimly, and he left the saloon. Leaving his whiskey unfinished and his caps scattered on the bar.

* * *

Posey

Posey scrabbled across the floor of the rusted out subway car, feeling her heart pound in her chest as that  _thing_ chasing her clawed and yowled at the narrow gap she'd squeezed through, its emaciated arms thrashing at her. She felt its bony hand clasp with surprising strength around her ankle, felt it yank her back, it's long talon like fingers digging into her boot and she let out a terrified sob. She kicked it away and scrambled back on all fours, pressing herself back against a fallen row of seats. The ghoul still growled and hurled itself at the gap, arms straining towards her, bulging white eyes rolling in its uneven sockets, screeching at her, ropes of red tinged spittle hanging from its yellowed teeth.

Her gunshot graze from her escape of the vault had reopened, blood streaming down into her right eye and she'd cut her neck on the subway car's ragged metal edges when she'd wormed her way into it, the blood quickly soaking her collar. She held her pistol in shaking hands and pulled the trigger before properly aligning her shot. She was insanely lucky, the kick pack recoiled and the deafening echo of the gun's blast forced her eyes shut, but when she reopened them, tears streaming and ears ringing, she saw the ghoul, slumped forward, wedged in the car, and blood and other  _stuff_  dripping from its shattered skull. Posey turned her face away but could already feel what was coming. She dropped her gun and turned her head to the side, and just managed to get on all fours before vomiting. She was sick as she'd ever been, retching up everything she'd had in her system, which thankfully wasn't much. She kept heaving and heaving even when there was nothing but bile until she felt like her insides were torn and twisted. She fell back against the seats she'd been pressed up against during the altercation and sat, panting and trembling, feeling cold all over at yet too hot at the same time. She closed her eyes, and waited for her heart to slow. When that wasn't happening she counted her breaths, in  _one,_ out  _two,_ in  _one,_ out  _two._

She didn't know how long she sat there, five minutes, ten, twenty? Until her heart finally slowed and she opened her eyes. The ghoul still hung there, blocking her exit and she turned her head away again, getting shakily to her feet and moving instead to a mostly intact line of seating in the car, so she was looking at the other side of the car instead of the dead ghoul.

She didn't know how long she'd been in the metro. It couldn't have been more than an hour but it felt like weeks. It hadn't been too bad at first. She'd hacked into the metro's terminal and for a while, had a clunky robot zapping things for her, until one of those stupid Mole Rats took a chunk out of its electrical wiring near the base of its neck. At least that had electrocuted the rat as well. Her Pip-Boy said she was close. She  _had_ to be close. She couldn't take much more of this. Gently, she probed the wound in her neck and was relieved to see that it was shallow, more of a scrape than anything, and now that her heart had slowed, the blood had stopped flowing from it. Except for the fact that she'd received it from a centuries old rusted subway car, it wouldn't cause much harm.

"I'm going to die of tetanus down here." she said through trembling lips, reaching into her bag and grabbing a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and a bandage.

_No your not, Dad gave you a tetanus shot just a few-_

Then she was crying again, covering her mouth to muffle her sobs, her shoulders hunched and her head bowed. This was so  _unfair_! She was never going to make clear to D.C. She was going to die in this damn metro station! With unsteady hands, she cleaned her two wounds as best as she could, and bandaged them up, putting away her medical supplies. What made her think she could survive out in the Wasteland? Her dad was right, she should have stayed in the vault. Maybe she could go back, beg for admittance, maybe The Overseer-

_No!_  She thought, getting uneasily to her feet,  _I'm not going to go beg for Old Man Almodovar's mercy, he killed Jonas! I'm getting out of here and I'm finding dad if it's the last thing I do!_ She took a swig of water and swished it around her mouth to rid the foul taste of bile from it and spat it out, trying to ignore the little thought in her head that said  _It might just be the last thing you ever do_.

She pushed the ghoul out of the crevice with her foot, and it slumped backwards easy enough, what was left of its head cracking against the broken up cement beneath it. Posey shivered, then on instinct, unzipped her duffel and pulled out Butch's jacket, slipping it on over her armored suit, which was a little difficult due to the obscene shoulder guard, but better than nothing. For some reason, that made her feel a little braver. She use to be afraid of  _Butch Deloria_? And yet she'd just killed a Feral Ghoul. She didn't need to be afraid of anything. She crawled out of the subway car carefully and looked up ahead in the musty dimness of the metro tunnel. She could see a sort of atrium up ahead, with stairs leading up to some kind of platform. Stairs were a good sign, stairs meant up, and up meant  _out_. She crept forward, trading her pistol for her rifle and waited, listening hard. She thought she could hear more ghouls up ahead, but this time,  _she_  would have the jump on  _them._

She made her slow progression towards a pile of fallen down tunnel, rubble stacked up high enough to crouch behind. She used a fairly flat piece of stone as a brace and lined up her rifle, eyes scanning the murky depths. She saw one ghoul, and felt her heart beat steadily pick up but she forced her hands to be steady, forced her breathing to remain even. She lined up the shot. The ghoul was standing still, almost like it was waiting. Waiting...

_BANG!_

The Ghoul dropped and Posey sat up, looking around frantically for more to be drawn by the sound. None came. She slunk forward, crouched low, being careful where she stepped, trying to be as quiet as possible. The atrium opened up and to Posey's delight, she could see sunlight streaming in from another set of stairs leading off of the platform.

_The exist!_ She thought and she straightened up, jogging towards the stairs and taking them two at a time.

That's when everything went wrong. Just as she was about to reach the top she heard a familiar screech and saw a Feral Ghoul, hurling itself down the stairs at her. Without thinking, Posey vaulted across the railing to the second staircase running parallel to hers, letting the ghoul collide with and tumble down the flight she'd been on and she continued running towards the top. When she reached it, she saw two more heading for her. Before her panic set in, she lifted her rifle and shot the closest one, nailing it right in the chest before turning and tearing away to the set of stairs that lead to sunlight. She could hear the ghouls behind her, but all she thought about was the chainlink gate at the top of the stairs. Once she made it there, she could slam them behind her. Hopefully they weren't smart enough to work the latch.

She made it to the top of the stairs, threw the gate open and as quickly as she could slammed them shut, thrusting down the latch just as the Ghouls reached it, crashing into the gates with such force that Posey was knocked backwards, landing hard on the slabs of stone and her rifle skittering away across the old pavement. The ghouls pressed their faces through the chainlinks snapping and snarling and Posey knew the rusted metal wouldn't hold for long. Still on her back, she pulled her pistol from the holster on her thigh and with two short blasts, the ghouls crumpled.

Posey let her head fall back against the paving stones, panting and staring up at the overhang above her, and from there, out to the sky. It was a brighter blue than she'd seen yet, though still a slight haze of clouds pervaded the atmosphere. Everything always seemed so hazy in the Wasteland. She closed her eyes, and placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heart thud under her scarred palm. She'd made it. She was alive. She let out something between a sob and a laugh, throwing her arm over her eyes, and taking a deep breath and letting it out slow. She checked her Pip-Boy, and saw that she was now in D.C. which meant she wasn't done yet. She was fairly certain the things she'd run into were ghouls. They'd had the same rotted look about them as Gob. Which meant she still hadn't encountered a Super Mutant yet. She had no idea what to expect, Simms hadn't been forthright with that information. Just that she would encounter them. It wasn't his fault, he probably just assumed she would know what they were, just like everyone else knew what they were.

She let herself lie there for a little while longer, feeling like she would have gladly slept there, if had been a little more secure of a location, but she was so close! Her dad was in D.C. or at least he had been. Surely, she couldn't be that far behind him. And it wasn't like he was exactly in his prime. Her father was no slouch but she was exhausted and she was nineteen for crying out loud. He had to be slowing down at least a little bit.

She got laboriously to her feet, and went across to pick up her rifle. It seemed to have been no worse for wear from it's dance across the pavement. She put her pistol back in its holster and reloaded her rifle before looking up the shallow set of stairs. Her Pip-Boy dinged slightly and she glanced down at it to see the words  _Chevy Chase_  blinking on her map. She could already see the hints of the dilapidated buildings and the broken up skyline of what she knew then to be downtown D.C. The G.N.R. Studio couldn't be far from here then. She mounted the stairs carefully, ears straining for any sound of danger. All she heard was the wind whistling through the derelict buildings, rustling refuse across the long abandoned streets.

At the top of the stairs there was some sort of odd steel structure, for decoration or for some sort of practical function she couldn't tell, but the Metro station seemed to be positioned on what had been a street corner, although now hardly the semblance of a street remained. Posey looked up at what had she was sure at one time, been lofty sky skyscrapers and lavish buildings. Now they'd fallen into disrepair and degradation. Burned out remnants of cars were placed along the road, almost as if a child had set up a model of a city before smashing it greedily. She glanced down at her Pip-Boy, her compass was directing her to the south, where the road sloped down beneath the buildings. Her heart sank, if she had to go through  _another_ metro...

She set off, eyes glued to her Pip-Boy's screen, when she heard an awful voice shout,

"Fresh meat coming our way, boys!"

Posey looked up to see an  _enormous_  green monster barreling towards her, teeth bared in something like a grin, a rifle that seemed practically toy like in its meaty hands. To her horror, a similar creature followed close behind, each roaring in delight at their new prey. She raised her rifle, but they were already delivering a hailstorm of bullets her way, and Posey dived hastily behind a crumpled car, terrified that the barrage would tear through the ancient metal and find a new home in her flesh. She raised herself on one knee and prepared to shoot back when she heard the same gravelly voices cry out in pain and anger, and new voices, almost as if coming from a radio, mingling in the cacophony.

Carefully, wary of any new attempt at filling her body full of lead, Posey peered around the hood of the car, to see the green beasts being blasted with what seemed to be lasers. They retaliated with their bullets, the blasts echoing throughout the hollow city but soon fell. All was quiet, until an angry, female and hopefully  _human_  voice called:

"Hey! Civilian!"

Posey rose carefully, hands in the air, just in case these newcomers were trigger happy, and slowly edged around from behind the car.

"Over here!"

The voice was coming from across the street, near the base of one of the buildings. She saw a group of individuals who looked more robotic than humanoid, with hulking suits of armor that completely concealed their bodies, from the top of their heads to the toes of their feet, except for one, she had no helmet on and was scowling at Posey.

"Yeah you, dumb ass!" Called the helmetless woman, gesturing for Posey to come closer "Get over here before more show up!" There was a set of make shift bridges spanning the gap that had once been some sort of overpass and Posey hurried along them, passing the remains of the monsters with trepidation. She reached the group of what she hoped were humans and said, relief heavy in her voice, "Thank you, if you-"

"Look," Said the women, who Posey could now see wasn't much older than herself, with dark blonde hair swept messily aside and dirty streaking her face. "I don't know who you are, but you don't belong here. The Super Mutants have overrun our brothers at the Galaxy News Radio building and we're on our way to back them up. I don't know what the hell you're doing here but tag along if you want. Keep up and don't do anything stupid. Got it?"

"Yes, of course." Said Posey, although she really didn't. Those were Super Mutants? "And I just wanted to say thank you again, I had no idea this place was so dangerous."

"Have you been living under a rock?" Demanded the women. Posey bit her lip. I _n a sense,_ she thought,  _under a lot of rock, actually._ "This is D.C. the entire  _city_ is crawling with Super Mutants. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

She clearly had no time, nor patience for newcomers, and Posey could hardly blame her. She just wished she knew who these people were that she was following behind. One of them was clearly male, and was talking to someone named Reddin, who seemed to be going through some sort of training, or perhaps initiation. The group jogged through a hollowed out building, their radios buzzing in communications. She could hear more Super Mutants up ahead, yelling barbarically and the loud reply of gunfire.

They came to something almost like a courtyard, buildings, or more like the skeletons of buildings framing a square of pavement where more rusting away cars were scattered. There was a hailstorm of bullets and Posey and the armed brothers quickly ducked behind whatever was available for shelter. Posey ended up crouched behind one of the cars with one of the members in full armor. It was disconcerting to be so close to someone and yet not see their face. They didn't pay Posey any attention though, focusing all their fire on the Mutants, who were standing defiantly in the upper levels of one of the buildings, raining down bullets on the party. When her companion stopped to reload their gun, Posey took point, carefully aiming through the broken windows and dispatching of one of the mutants.

"Nice shot." Came a crackling voice, and the armored person helped her to her feet as they advanced forward

It was all a blur of bullets and barbaric shouting as Posey followed her new companions through the dilapidated building, aiding in the take down of three more Super Mutants. It was unlike anything Posey had ever done. She'd been on a team before, Vault 101's baseball team but this was something entirely new. The way they moved, and spoke. Unified in one goal, taking orders without question, and completing tasks with a kind of precision Posey had never come across before. On the move once more, Posey glanced down at her Pip-Boy and was delighted to see that the G.N.R. building was mere feet away.

They entered now it to what was definitely a plaza, in the center of which stood a fountain with a cracked and dry basin, and a pitted and rusty statue featuring a model of the earth, several sandbag barriers and three Super Mutants. Posey, having no armor, or at least comparatively  _terrible_  armor didn't feel at all ashamed by diving directly behind a sandbag barrier, and allowing those more capable to take point on this particular altercation. She helped where she could though, generally finishing off the brutes with quick head shots while they were distracted by the other threats. They made short work of the mutants, and stood in the aftermath looking at each other and taking a moment to appreciate that this time at least, there had been no casualties. The women who Posey had first encountered, actually gave her a small smile, and the other members of her party seemed to relax slightly

"So, how'd I do boss?" Asked a young and eager voice as the party began to drift apart, and the women, Posey assumed she was their leader, said into her radio.

"We're all clear out here, all threats have been neutralized."

"Come on, Vargas!" Continued the younger voice, "Did I pass my little trial test? The Lyons' Pride needs me and you know it! That Citadel guard duty is such crap..."

"Yeah yeah," Said the male voice she'd heard before. "We'll see. Now knock that off! You're wasting ammo!"

The younger initiate, Reddin, Posey thought, had been whooping triumphantly and shooting her gun into the air.

"Oh come on, Vargas." She said playfully, "We already creamed them! Loosen up!"

The man, Vargas, chuckled slightly. "Yes, I suppose we did."

Posey felt suddenly intrusive. She didn't know these people, she didn't share the sense of comradery that they clearly did, yet they'd saved her life none the less. Hesitantly, Posey re-holstered her rifle and approached the blonde women that she'd first seen.

"Not too bad a shot for a sewer stray." Said the women appreciatively as Posey approached. "I must say, for someone who lives under a rock, you're pretty handy in a crisis."

"Thanks." Said Posey, feeling oddly bashful all of the sudden. "I never caught your name, Miss..."

"Lyons. Sarah Lyons, I'm the leader of the Lyons' pride, a division of the Brotherhood of Steel."

Posey didn't have the faintest idea what any of that meant.

"Listen, I just wanted to say thanks again, for helping me out, and I was wondering, I'm looking for a man named Three-"

Suddenly there was an awful thundering crash and everyone in the courtyard fell silent, suddenly all on high alert as there echoed from behind a barricade a deafening roar, followed by more thunderous crashes.

"Get back!" Shouted Vergas, readying his weapon, "It's a Behemoth!"

"A what?" Bellowed Posey over the roars, but Sentinel Lyons was already rushing to her comrades, weapon at the ready. Posey made to follow her when there was a sudden blast and Poesy was hurled off her feet by the force of a ear splitting explosion that sent shrapnel from the Brotherhood's barricade flying everywhere.

Hearing robbed by the detonation and head spinning, Posey struggled to her feet, staggering. She could hear, as if from a long way off the  _pop pop pop_ of the Lyons' Pride's gunfire. They were shooting through the smoke of what had been previously their barricade.

Posey shook her head slightly, trying to clear it but the world was still spinning and the shouts of Sentinal Lyons and her pride were like trying to hear something underwater, everything was garbled and disconnected. Then, something truly horrific emerged from the smoke and Posey's mouth ran dry.

If she'd thought they other Mutant's were big, this one made them look like children. Standing at easily twelve or twenty feet, wielding a fire hydrant attached crudely to what appeared to be a telephone pole, this Mutant roared a challenge at the Pride, hefting it's weapon as easily as Posey wielded her baseball bat. Its sickly green skin was bulging with muscle, and it had on its own version of armor, peices of random junk held together with barbed wire. Every tread of its tremendous feet resulted in a tremor throughout the ground.

The Pride's bullets seemed only to be angering it, and Posey took an involuntary step back, tripping over something and landing painfully against the stone lip of the fountain. She looked down and saw a fallen member of the Pride, and next to it, one of the largest guns she'd ever seen. She glanced back at the Behemoth , then down at the gun, dropped by the fallen soldier. She hadn't the faintest idea how it worked, but the Pride's guns were helpless against the giant creature. She looked back to the Behemoth and felt her blood run cold. It had seen her, and what was worse, it was grinning like it had just found the best treat of all.

Panic making her fingers clumsy, Posey hauled the heavy contraption away from the soldier. She could feel rather than see the Behemoth make its way towards her. The ground was shaking, harder, and harder the closer it got. She could hear the Pride's shouts and their guns, but all she could see was the rocket, about the size and shape of a football, resting near the fallen man's hand. She scrambled forward grabbed it, and slide back to where she'd positioned the gun, hastily shoving it into the barrel. The ground was trembling in earnest now, she could hear the Behemoth roars, just ahead, twenty feet away.

She positioned the gun on the ground not unlike a small cannon, sprawling in the dirt behind it and tilting its nozzle up. She'd have to account for its path, she had a feeling the rocket would have a gradual arc as it descended. The Behemoth shouted a garbled challenge at her, raising its club and preparing to rush down and smash her into oblivion, it took one last earth shaking bound-

Posey yanked back the lever and pulled the trigger.

The insulating blast would have knocked Posey off her feet again, but as it was, it sent her skidding backwards in the dirt for a few inches, a wave of heat sweeping over her as she lay, face hidden in her folded arms. All was quiet for a moment, and Posey worried that she'd permanently lost her hearing. She raised her head slightly, looking out across the courtyard. The smoking remains of the Behemoth were all she could see, and as she shakily got to her feet, she saw Sentinal Lyons and the members of the pride who were still standing, giving her looks of shock and mingled disbelief. Posey warily walked around the enormous corpse before standing in front of Sentinal Lyons, looking self conscious. Her hearing was slowly returning although now it was coupled with an intense and irritating ringing.

"I guess it's me who should be thanking you this time." Said Sentinal Lyons, looking a Posey with almost begrudging respect. "Anyway, the area is secure. You said you needed to talk to Three Dog?"

"Yes." Said Posey, perhaps a bit louder than was necessary. Sarah's lips twitched in a small smile.

"They should let you in now. Watch yourself out there." She turned away but Posey called,

"Wait, Sentinel Lyons,"

The women paused, and looked back at Posey, standing in front of the charred remains of the Behemoth, her face smeared with grime and gore, hair wild.

"I'm sorry, about your soldiers." Said Posey, "They seemed like good people."

"Thank you." Said Lyons, her gaze softening slightly on the younger girl. "Three Dog should be just inside, on the second floor."

"Thanks."

Posey turned and stepped over the arm of the downed Behemoth, and headed up the stairs into the G.N.R. building.

* * *

Colorado

The Metro station was eerily empty. Colorado had run into several corpses: Mole rats, and a ghoul, but thankfully, no Vault girls. He'd been creeping along for almost an hour now, trepidation and dread curling in his stomach, waiting to find bloodied remains of the girl, but so far, all he could see was a wake of destruction she'd left in her path. He had to admit, he was impressed. He'd also scavenging the place as he went. He figured he might as well make use of his time and see what he could find while on his heroic and idiotic quest. He walked along the corridor, his Combat Shotgun at the ready, ears pricked for danger and eyes sweeping across the place. There were faded and peeling ads on the Metro walls, from Pre-War travel agencies, and he had to pause at one.

_Cool, Colorful Colorado invites_ you! Read the faded paint. Colorado smirked slightly, reaching up a hand and running his fingers over the edge of a majestic mountain that the words had been imposed above. An baby blue car was driving along a winding road edged in pine trees, and Colorado could see the tiny faces of a family through the windows.

"Not much of a name, Colorado." He said under his breath. Really, he'd had no place to think Posey's was odd. But it really was, Posey,  _Posey_ , who names their kid Posey? She at least, hadn't chosen her name. He, on the other hand...

He stepped back, shaking his head. No, Colorado was who he was now. Everyone knew him as that, everyone that mattered anyway. He turned and walked quickly away, leaving the faded mural behind, the family's faces frozen forever in their cheerful smiles.

Colorado stood out in the open air a few minutes later, blinking in the sunlight, eyes sweeping over the fallen buildings of downtown D.C. Truly, this city must have been something to behold in its hay day. He walked past rusted remains of cars, his eyes taking in what use to be such streamline lines, built for gliding along an open road flanked with pine trees, destined for  _Cool, Colorful Colorado._

Still nothing stirred, and he felt something prickle on the back of his neck. He whirled around, convinced something had been behind him, breathing down his neck, but there was nothing. Panting slightly, he turned back around, shifting his grip on his gun. A slight breeze lifted his hair, made the buildings and other dilapidated structures creak slightly. Had she really made it, all this way? He'd seen no reason to believe otherwise. He crept forward, following a clearly man made track across the broken down buildings, again, scavenging all he could while keeping his eyes peeled for Super Mutants. Everyone said D.C. was crawling with them, and yet, he hadn't spotted a single one. He stopped, looking off to his right,

_Correction,_ He thought,  _I haven't seen a single_ live  _one._

Two dead Super Mutants lay sprawled out on the pavement, but he could tell that they were fairly fresh. But they'd been killed by laser weapons, he could see the charred ring around their wounds. Posey hadn't had a laser weapon, had she? He carried on, shaking his head. He had to give that girl from the Vault more credit. She was much tougher than she looked. Maybe she didn't need help after all. Colorado looked towards the tall building with the banner emblazoned with the Brotherhood of Steel insignia, and almost unconsciously his feet carried him forward.

_Well,_  he thought,  _never hurts to ask._

* * *

Posey

The building looked more like a bunker and less like Posey's idea of a radio station ought to be. More members of the Brotherhood of Steel milled about, and there were still sandbag barriers around the place. She walked hesitantly forward, but to her surprise, none of the Brotherhood stopped her. They all seemed to have their own problems to worry about. She did stop one of them however, and asked where she could find Three Dog and he was also surprisingly obliging. Thanking him, Posey followed his prescribed path, up the flight of stairs, and tried to ignore the soreness in her, well in her everything, but especially her legs. She'd rarely felt as tired as she had her first few days in the Wasteland, and she had half a mind to curl up on the floor. But her dad might be here, so she forced herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Posey mounted one last final set of stairs before a commanding voice said "Stop!"

Posey did so, looking up at the head of the stairs where a man stood, arms crossed over his chest, and staring imperiously down at her. He gave her a slight smirk, his dark tinted glasses flashing in the fluorescent lights. "Your face says it all." He said smoothly, "You're wondering who the heck this guy is, and why should you care. Well," He spread his arms out as if welcoming her in for a hug, "Prepare to be enlightened."

The only thing Posey wanted to prepare for was bed, but she had to hand it to him, he had good showmanship.

"I am Three Dog," He said dramatically, "Jockey of discs and teller of truths. Lord and master over the finest radio station to grace the Wastes. Galaxy News Radio. And you?" He raised an eyebrow, "I know who you are. Heard about you leavin' the Vault, travelin' the unknown. Just like dear ol' Dad, hmm? Met him already."

"You know my dad," Said Posey, advancing up the steps, all soreness and exhaustion temporarily forgotten."You've seen him? Where is he? Is he here?"

"Hey hey hey, one thing at a time." Said Three Dog, holding up his hands. "You're old man ain't here. Not anymore."

"What?" Said Posey, crestfallen. He'd slipped away,  _again?_

"He heard old Three Dog on the radio and figured I knew what was what out here in the Capital Wasteland, and he was right. So I filled him in. But he took off, looks like I've got my way of contributing to the Good Fight, and he's got his own."

"Good Fight?" Said Posey, frowning slightly, "What Good Fight? What do you mean?"

"You're certainly full of questions," Said Three Dog, but for the first time since entering the Wasteland, he seemed pleased about it rather than annoyed. "Imagine a picture." He said, his deep voice rumbling through the otherwise quiet air. "A picture of the Capital Wasteland. What do you see?"

"Uh-"

"All that brick and rock, a whole lot of nothing, right?"

"I guess so."

"There's people out there, trying to make it. Just scraping by, day by day. Fighting to stay alive and make something of what they've got. But then you got all kinds of problems..." He was steadily getting more heated, ticking of the threats of the Wasteland on his fingers, "Raiders, Super Mutants, Slavers." He paused here, staring at Posey, letting his words sink in. "They all want a piece of the pie too." He said quietly. "And they aim to take it, by any means necessary."

Posey felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise steadily, "So you fight the Good Fight," she said slowly, "with your voice. On Galaxy News Radio."

Three Dog beamed at her. "Well aren't you a chip off the old block," He said brightly, "You ARE as smart as your dad."

Posey flushed slightly, trying not to looked too pleased.

"Well since you know all about this cause, there's no need to explain the effect. Let's get you on your way."

Posey grinned, he was going to tell her where her dad went! Surely, she would find him this time. She  _had_ to.

"How come you trust me so easily," She asked, her smile fading slightly. This was definitely the easiest information she'd ever gotten, and the best she'd been received as well. "You hardly know me."

"The fact that the Brotherhood let you up here tells me you're alright, and your dad seemed like a real decent guy. Besides, you're giving off a pretty sweet vibe right now, maybe we can help each other out."

Posey's smile faltered slightly. He  _was_ going to tell her, wasn't he?

"Enough yakin'" Said Three dog, "Tell me why we're talking."

"I'm trying to find my dad." Said Posey, she'd thought she'd made that obvious enough, "Please, if you know anything that could help me find him, please tell me."

"You want to find your dad, and it just so happens that his location is known by yours truly."

Posey's heart sank, she knew where this was going. This was shaping up an awful lot like her conversation with Moriarty.

"He was here," Continued Three Dog, "at Galaxy News, we had a conversation. He seems like a real stand-up guy. If you wanna know more, you're going to have to contribute to the Good Fight."

"Was nuking that giant monster outside not enough for you!" Snapped Posey, her temper running short. "Do you know how much it has taken me to get here! I've got to find my dad! He's always been one step ahead of me, I don't have time for you're Good Fight!"

" _My_  Good Fight?" Said Three Dog, sounding angry. "I thought you were smart, girl. It's not  _my_  Good Fight, it's everyone's Good Fight! It affects us all! You wanna find your dad, help me out. You're dad is trying to make a difference, what about you?"

"The only difference I'm making right now is that I somehow, miraculously haven't died yet!" Her voice was rising slightly in pitch and hysteria. "You want  _me_ to help? I've been in the Wasteland for TWO DAYS. I have no idea how to make it out there! All I want is to find my dad. I've got to get to him, he could be hurt! He could be in danger!"

"You made it this far, kid. You're strong, resilient. I can tell. And you're dad ain't no wimp either. He was fine when he was here. Made it through the metro and downtown D.C. no problem. You make it here, you make it anywhere."

Posey wanted to scream. Why couldn't someone just TELL her where her dad was JUST TO BE A GOOD PERSON! Why did they all want something from her! She glared at Three Dog, who stared stonily back.

"Help me with the Good Fight," he said at last, "You're one of the few people on this charred out excuse of a planet that's still good. I can see that. We  _need_ people like you."

Posey bit her lip, thinking hard. Three Dog's gaze was unwavering, she could see his dark eyes behind his glasses, he wasn't even blinking.

"What do I need to do?" She asked finally. Three Dog grinned widely,

"I knew you wouldn't let me down, girl. You're going to be the best thing that's happened to Galaxy News in a long time. Alright, listen close."

* * *

Posey sat outside in the Galaxy News Plaza on the steps leading up to the building, her back against one of the sandbag barriers, staring down at the charred remains of the Behemoth. How were they going to get rid of that thing? Or were they just going to let it rot, right there in the courtyard? They'd already gathered up their fallen brothers, and were preparing some sort of send off for them. She hoped the Super Mutants weren't sentimental enough to do the same for their fallen brother.

She'd told Three Dog she would retrieve the Virgo II's dish and replace the ruined broadcast relay with the new one. In exchange, he promised to tell her where her dad was next. Maybe, if Posey had tried a different approach, instead of blowing up at him, he might have just told her. As it was, she was faced with another Herculean task. At this rate, she definitely would end up dead in a gutter down in D.C. and she'd  _never_ see her dad again.

She let her head fall back against the sandbags and let her eyes drift shut. When she was younger, all she'd wanted was an adventure, a chance to explore the Capital Wasteland. She just never thought about how exhausting it would be. She wished she could have at least gotten some shut eye and something to eat before she headed off again, but she knew she couldn't wait, she had to find her dad, as soon as possible.

"You didn't die on me, did you blondie?"

Posey's eyes flew open and to complete and utter surprise, she saw the man from Megaton, Colorado, strolling up to the G.N.R. building, easy as you please, not even a smudge on him. He looked as if he'd just happened on an afternoon walk through post-apocalyptic D.C. Just out for a stroll, and just  _happened_  to stumble upon her, at the foot of a heavily guarded bunker surrounded by Super Mutants.

You know, just coincidentally.

"Colorado?" She said, straightening up, although she was so tired she couldn't bring herself to stand up. "What are you doing here?"

Colorado shrugged, "I was in the neighborhood." He said, propping his gun up on his shoulder. "Gob told me you were headed to D.C. to find your dad."

"I-I was."

She was so stunned, she was having troubling putting words together. What was this man doing? First he acted like he couldn't stand her, now, he was just "In the neighborhood"?

Colorado looked around, "I guess you couldn't find him." He said, taking a step over the charred Behemoth's leg and coming up to join her on the steps. Posey shook her head.

"Three Dog said he knew where he was, but he won't tell me until I contribute to the 'Good Fight'."

"Sounds like Three Dog," Said Colorado, squinting over the Plaza.

"You know him?"

"Not personally, but everyone knows who Three Dog is, and he's always yapping about the Good Fight. So, what's your contribution going to have to be?"

"I have to get a dish from the Virgo II Lunar lander in the Museum of Technology, and replace their old Broadcast Relay on the Washington Monument."

"Damn," Said Colorado, shifting his gun back down to his lap and looking it over. "That's one hell of a contribution."

"Mr. Colorado, or whoever you are," Said Posey exasperatedly, "Why are you here?"

"Jude." He said, without looking up from his gun.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My name is Jude." He looked back up at her, his green eyes practically emerald in the fading light. "Jude Hiller, and to be completely honest, I have no idea why I'm here."

Posey stared back at him, looking, and feeling utterly confused.

"I want to help you." He said with a shrug. "I don't know why, you don't seem to need much help, judging from the state you left that metro in."

"No, I-" Posey swallowed hard, "I do need help."

"Well then. I guess that's why I'm here."

"I can't pay you." Said Posey, looking at him, feeling oddly lightheaded.

"I know."

"How do I know you're not a raging psychopath who will kill me as soon as my back is turned."

"You don't I guess. Would a promise that I'm  _not_ a raging psychopath work well enough for you?"

Posey didn't know. "For now? Maybe. Eventually, I think I'd like to see some evidence."

Colorado, no,  _Jude_ , gave her a slight smile. "I think I could work on that."

Posey couldn't help the slight twitch of her own lips as she gave him a smile back.

"Alright," She said, and she held out her hand, "Partners, then. Until I find my dad."

"Till you find your dad." Agreed Jude, taking her hand and shaking it once. His hand engulfed her own, and though he wore gloves that stopped at his second knuckle , she could feel the callouses there, and as he drew back, his bare fingertips ghosted over the crescent shaped indentations on her hand. It sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well," Said Jude, getting to his feet. "We'd better get a move on, partner."

Posey couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled so wide.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have to apologize for the length. What can I say, I'm a long winded person! I'll try and cut back next chapter, but tell me. What do you guys think! Come on now, drop me a line!
> 
> How as Posey's and Jude's interaction at the end. It went a lot differently than I planned, I can tell you that. Did you like it? Love it? Hate it?
> 
> I'm begging you guys, COMMENT. That's what they're called on here, right? Commenting? Is that what the kids do these days?
> 
> Cuz they should be
> 
> Thanks for reading as always, lovelies. I can't tell you how much it means to me!
> 
> Farewell!


	7. Alone Together

**Chapter Seven**

**"Alone Together"**

**I don't know where you're going**

**But do you got room for one more troubled soul?**

**I don't know where I'm going**

**But I don't think I'm coming home and I said**

**I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead**

**This is the road to ruin**

**And we're starting at the end**

**Say yeah (yeah!)**

**Let's be alone together (yeah)**

**We could stay young forever (yeah)**

**Scream it from the top of your lungs, lungs, lungs**

**Say yeah (yeah!)**

**Let's be alone together (yeah)**

* * *

"So this is D.C." Said Jude, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the early morning sun. "Not much to look at."

The pair of them stood staring out over Dupoint Station, Posey eyeing the edge of their small concrete shelf uneasily.

Jude had insisted they wait until first light to go for the Museum of Technology. Posey had tried to protest, but Jude wouldn't budge on the issue.

"If you go in there exhausted and half cocked" He'd said, "we're both going to die."

And as he pointed out, if she got her skull bashed in by a Super Mutant because she was too tired to duck, she definitely wouldn't see her father again.

She pressed herself back against the door as a gust of wind rushed over them, tugging at their clothes and hair. Half of the G.N. appeared to have been demolished, the door opening up to a few feet of floor, then nothing but open air. Jude didn't seem perturbed by the predicament but Posey couldn't help but think of the centuries old bracers and rebar protruding from the edge of their small bit of flooring. They didn't look very stable. Jude nonchalantly walked forward, sitting down on the edge and peering over at the level below them, keeping his palms flat against the concrete as he leaned out over the abyss, the wind catching at his hair.

"It's not a bad drop at all." He said, and without warning, pushed himself off the edge. Posey felt her heart leap into her throat and she took a shaky step forward but Jude was already brushing down his leather armor and looking up at her expectantly. It was only about five feet, but that was only six inches shorter than she was. She edged forward, and did as Jude had, sat on the edge and leaned over.

Five feet was a lot longer than she thought. Really that was half of ten.

"Are you coming?" Asked Jude, raising his eyebrows. "You're the one who couldn't even stop to sleep last night."

"I'm coming," Said Posey, frowning slightly. Jude let out a sigh and stepped forward, holding one of his hands aloft.

"Come on, we don't have all day. It only looks high."

Posey reached down, her arm out stretched, but it wasn't long enough to reach his.

"Hold on," She said, and she carefully turned around, so her stomach was pressed against the edge of the ledge, between two rods of steel rebar. "Just don't let me fall." She said, arms shaking with the effort of lowering herself carefully, feeling her heart pound in her throat at the thought of crumpling on the ground below. Not only would it hurt, it would be so  _embarrassing_. She felt Jude's steadying hand on her back and she let herself fall the last foot, her feet smacking solidly onto the pavement and sending a shockwave up to her knees. She turned around, brushing off her hands and saw Jude giving her an almost incredulous look.

"Well," He drawled, raising his eyebrow. "at this rate we'll make it to the museum by next week." He said dryly.

She scowled up at him, straightening her duffel bags strap across her chest.

"I'm not as tall as you are," She said, walking past him towards another drop off. "It's not my fault."

Posey missed the look of utter exasperation on Jude's face as she peered over the next drop off, about the same height as the one before. She wasn't accustomed to heights yet. The highest point she'd ever been was in the atrium of the vault and she'd never had the desire to leap off the edge of the mezzanine to the steel floor ten feet below. Now, she had to make this drop and she could feel her insides squirm uncomfortably at the thought. She took a deep breath, bracing herself when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Jude, a finger to his lips, peering down at the almost canyon like formation below them.

The ground sloped down towards the base of another building, the uneven rubble scattered with more cars and even a dilapidated train, leading Posey to believe that they were standing above an unearthed subway tunnel. More cars and broken up building littered the space and Posey wondered what Jude was looking for, then felt her blood run cold as she saw the familiar figure of a ghoul, skulking near the train.

"We can probably get them from here." Said Jude in a low voice, "I doubt there is just one."

He slipped her Hunting Rifle from her harness on her back and carefully lowered himself to the ground, lining up his shot carefully. He bit his lip and cursed under his breath, squinting harder. He seemed to have trouble getting a clear shot of the ghoul, and Posey wondered if perhaps Jude had poor eyesight. She could see the ghoul clearly once she had spotted it, without having to squint.

"I can do it." Said Posey quietly. Jude looked up at her, considering her for a moment before silently handing the rifle over to her.

"Your rifle is better for range than my shotgun." He said as she laid out next to him, bracing her barrel carefully and lining up her shot. "Once you snipe this one, the others will probably come running, they can hear the shot. Get as many as you can, and if they get closer, I'll take them out."

Posey nodded, and lined up her shot, and quickly dispatched the ghoul with a neat headshot. Just as Jude predicted, more ghouls came around the corner, arms held out threateningly, snarling and growling in their usual fashion. She took out one more, and attempted to finish off the third, but it had spotted them and had taken off at an almost gallop like pace, and Posey's shot sailed over its shoulder. Jude didn't say a word, simply vaulted off the edge, landing in a crouch as the ghoul hurtled itself toward him, jaws open wide. Posey's heart leapt into her throat as the ghoul came closer and Jude simply kneeled there, his shotgun at the ready, waiting until the creature was almost on top of him before firing off the shot, which demolished the ghoul's skull in a way that made Posey glad she hadn't had time for breakfast that morning. Still, she turned her face away, eyes screwed up against the sight and let out a shaky breath. When she dared to peer back over the edge, she saw Jude standing upright and looking up at her with raised eyebrows. His face and torso were spattered with the gory remains of the ghoul but Jude seemed unperturbed by that fact.

"Well," He said, wiping his face on his arm before holding his hand out once again to aid Posey's decent. "shall we?" He said, flashing her a slight smirk.

Posey didn't know if it was the height that made her stomach flop, or the feeling of Jude's hands around her waist as she allowed herself to be helped down.

* * *

As she and Jude picked their way across the collapsed tunnel towards a door with the Brotherhood of Steel insignia painted next to it, she marveled at what a difference it made to have someone else along with her. It wasn't even the fact that Jude was handsome. That didn't really matter out here in the Wastes, as she was coming to realize.  _Although it certainly didn't hurt, either_ She thought as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

But it was definitely something more than that. They didn't speak, just swept their eyes back and forth across the landscape, looking for potential threats. But it was, nice, to hear someone else's breathing. To listen to the crunch beneath Jude's boots that matched her own, and feel solidness of his arm if they brushed up against each other, or the warmth of his hand as he aided her over a particularly large chunk of rubble. It was nice to have proof that she wasn't the only one wandering in this Wasteland. To know that there was something else nearby with a heartbeat that didn't want to rip out her jugular. The feelings of awful anxiety that she'd felt before in the metro, the dizzying sense of panic that had come to a peak between her ears, had dissipated slightly. She was wary of danger, but the fear she'd felt no longer caught in her throat, and sat in her chest, dragging her down. Now she felt prepared, reassured almost. Jude was capable. Posey hadn't done bad on her own, but she felt if she'd spent any more time down in the subway systems alone, she would have ended up as mad as the Feral Ghouls herself.

"Alright," Said Jude, once they'd reached the door, which was labeled again with the Brotherhood's sloppy white paint job as  _Collapsed Car Tunnel._ "I have no idea what is in here, so keep sharp,and keep quiet. It's best to sneak into unfamiliar places rather than go in with guns blazing. My guess is there is probably a couple more ghouls, maybe even a Super Mutant or two. How do you feel about taking point?"

"I don't know." Said Posey honestly, "You want me to go first?"

"You're good with range." Said Jude in an honest, business like tone. "I'd like you to go ahead of me by at least a couple of feet. I'll be right behind you, but if you see anything, signal me to hold up while you take your shot, okay? If you miss, try not to obviously, get behind me. I can handle them when they get close, and if for some reason I can't, try and use your pistol if you can get to it. We want to save your rifle for the far away stuff, it's a mid range kind of weapon, so you'll want to get close, but not too close. Got it?"

Posey nodded. It was a lot to take in, but she could retain it all, she was sure. It wasn't too complicated.

"You're sure?" Said Jude, "I don't want to go in there if you're not ready."

"I'll go first, keeping low and quiet, you'll be right behind me. Take out targets that are within a twenty to forty feet radius and if I miss, get behind you, so you can take them out. I should have my pistol ready in case you can't so I can save my rifle bullets for the range targets."

"Not bad, blondie." Said Jude appreciatively, "You're a quick study. Alright, let's go."

The car tunnel reminded Posey uncomfortably of the vault. It had the same kind of metallic tang in the air, and all the steel ducts and bracers running along the walls. What was different though was apart from the metallic taste coating her mouth again, was a distinct, musty fetid odor that suddenly accosted her nostrils. Posey grimaced but crept along. The smell was like the one in the Metro, and Posey wondered if all underground places in the Wastes smelled that way. A mixture of decomposing flesh and stale air.

They pressed on, shuffling across the steel floors before coming to a door that lead them into a larger room filled with more debri. Jude pointed silently across to another door where a single light burned in a bracket next to it, and they crept forward. The place was exactly what it claimed to be, a tunnel full of collapsed cars, and Posey glanced through the murky darkness, watching the tunnel stretch on in both directions before hurrying towards the door with the now familiar insignia of the Brotherhood of Steel. She didn't like being out in the open like that, where anything could come hurling from around a car and pounce.

They carried on, the oppressive silence pressing in on their ears, except for the occasional creak of the place settling around them. Each time this happened, she could hear Jude suck in a quick breath, and his grip on his gun tighten. That at least Posey was use to. Vault 101 made similar noises. It didn't occur to her that Jude might not be use to underground places, just as she wasn't use to heights.

They didn't run into anything for longer than Posey had expected, she kept waiting on pins and needles, her finger twitching on the trigger. Every corner they turned, she held her breath bracing herself for a ghoul or a Super Mutant to hurl themselves at her. But nothing came, and eventually they came into something rather like an office, full of dilapidated filing cabinets and a security robot hibernating in its tube. Jude tapped her shoulder again and Posey froze, looking around for an enemy but Jude just said, his voice so low she could barely hear it over her thundering heart.

"There's a Super Mutant, through that door. I saw a glimpse of him as he passed. You good?" Oddly, he said super with a lisp, muting the S to Thuper. She'd never noticed a lisp before.

Posey nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Jude looked at her for a moment then shook his head.

"You get the door, I'll get the mutant. He's close enough range for my shotgun." He said. Posey nodded, creeping forward, feeling her heart pound in her chest and her palms grow sweaty.

"On three." Mouthed Jude, and Posey nodded.

Posey waited until she saw his lips form the word  _Three_ before kicking open the door and diving aside as Jude shot the unsuspecting Mutant who instantly crumpled. Posey, crouched in front of the door another Mutant whirling around, holding a board crudely punched through with nails high above his head, preparing to swing it down on her unprotected head. She raised her rifle and started shooting, desperately trying to keep her shots contained and not wild, each crack echoing through the contained room and amplifying it until Posey felt sure her ears would never recover.

The Mutant fell at her feet with a sickening thunk as its hulking mass crumpled onto the paving stones.

Breathing hard, Posey fell back against the dusty brick wall, her legs shaking beneath her as Jude glanced around before straightening up and walking forward to the fallen Super Mutants.

"Here." He said, tossing her a cartridge of .32 caliber rounds. "For your Rifle."

She caught it, much to her surprise and pocketed it, fingers trembling.

"Not too bad, blondie. At least you didn't shoot yourself in the foot." Said Jude, hiking his pack higher up on his back. "Let's get moving." He said, walking past the desecrated Mutant completely unphased. "The Mall Outpost is this way."

They descended down, more and more levels and Posey couldn't help but notice, despite the fact that Jude was behind her and she couldn't quite see his face, each set of stairs they came across, Jude became more and more agitated. She hoped it wasn't anything she was doing, but she didn't dare stop and ask, in case it was.

They came at last to an old subway tunnel, following the Brotherhood's sloppily painted directions. The tunnel, to Posey's surprise, was littered with glass bottles. _Did the mutants brought those down?_ She wondered, glancing down at them before carrying on.

She skulked forward and saw something like lamplight glowing through slats in the makeshift divider of sorts. She took a step forward, and kicked an errant bottle, sending it clattering across the stones. It smashed into another with a tinkling crash. Posey froze and sent Jude a panicked glance over her shoulder as a brusque, human voice called suddenly.

"Who was that? Larry? That you?"

Jude pushed past her just as a man, his scrawny and filthy body clad in an amalgamation of leather and spikes, wielding a rifle that looked much more sinister than hers came around the corner of the make shift wall. Jude raised his shotgun just as the other man pulled the trigger. Pain exploded through Posey's right side just as the attacker dropped, his chest full of Jude's buckshot and Posey stumbled, falling to her knees, blood soaking the side of her face and neck.

"Hey, hey blondie, look at me! You alright?"

Jude's face came into her vision and Posey couldn't decide if she was alright. Her ear felt like it was on fire and tears unconsciously streamed from her eyes. Jude swore his eyes wide and his jaw set angrily. He took her face in his hands, carefully turning her head to get a look at her ear before letting out a sigh of relief and allowing his shoulders to relax.

"You're one lucky duck, you know that?" He said softly. "Come here."

He hauled her to her feet, and practically carried her over to a rickety bed frame behind the partition the man had been behind.

"Wh-who w-w-was that?" She managed through trembling lips.

"A Raider," Said Jude distastefully. "Where's your medical supplies?"

Posey gestured to her bag feebly and Jude pulled it towards him.

"The bullet just grazed your ear. Took a chunk out of it but you'll be okay."

Posey felt her stomach drop and suddenly felt very cold and clammy. "I-I think I'm going into shock." She said numbly, her breathing shallow and her pulse rapid.

She laid back, careful of her still burning ear and propped her feet on the foot board so they were elevated.

"What are you-"

"I told you I think I'm going into shock. Basic First Aid, elevate the feet above the head, loosen any tight clothing and make sure they're warm. I don't have any tight clothing, but can you hand me that jacket from my bag please?"

Jude looked stymied, but did as she said, and Posey snuggled under Butch's too big jacket, fighting off shivers. Jude cleaned the blood away and Posey winced at the burning sting of the antiseptic as he pressed a clean wad of gauze to her ear to staunch the bleeding.

"You know a lot of first aid?" He asked, sitting back on his heels while still holding the bandage to her head.

"Enough. My dad was the vault doctor. He taught me a bit. If it were Pre-War times, I'd technically be a certified EMT."

"A what?"

"Emergency Medical Technician." Said Posey. She found if she talked more, she thought less about the fact that part of her ear had shot off. "Ask me something else."

"I don't-"

"The more I talk, the less chance I have of throwing up or passing out, so get chatting."

Jude hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying,

"What's your dad's name?"

"James. James Matthew Bennett." Said Posey, holding her bandage close, allowing Jude to lower his arm. She felt the warmth of her own blood under her fingers and suppressed a shudder.

"Your mom's?" His voice was low and difficult to hear over her own shaky breaths.

"Catherine. Catherine Marie Campbell." She replied mechanically, trying to force her breathing into a slow, even pattern.

"What's your full name?"

"Posey Marie Bennett."

"When is your birthday?"

"July thirteenth. When is yours?"

"I thought I was suppose to be asking the questions." Said Jude, shifting on the pavement so he was seated more comfortably.

"I never said ask questions, I just said we needed to keep talking. You're the one who started in with the inquires." She said with a slight frown. "But I think you can at least answer a simple one. When's your birthday?"

Jude paused, mulling it over before answering:"January twenty-fourth." He added, "How old are you?" After a moment's indecision.

"Nineteen. How old are you?"

"Twenty four."

"And you were born on the twenty fourth." Finished Posey, lips twitching up in something like a smile.

Carefully, she sat up, keeping her hand over her ear and looking down at Jude. He was crouched down near her bed, hands stained with her blood, his dark hair awry and looking up at her warily, in case she slumped over or vomited all over him, she assumed.

"Why did that man shoot at us?" Asked Posey, pulling Butch's jacket on over her shoulders. Jude snorted and stood up, turning so he was facing the entrance of the tunnel so no one else could sneak up on them.

"Because he was a Raider, it's what they do."

"I don't understand."

Jude looked at her, his gaze unreadable. She'd been surprised by his age when he'd told her. Despite being well under thirty, the skin around his eyes was wrinkled. Crows feet already beginning to form. Probably because he spent so much time squinting out at the Wasteland sun.

"People talk about ghouls like Gob being monsters." Said Jude simply, turning back to the doorway he'd been facing. "Raiders are barely human. They see what they want and they take it, and whatever you've got, they want. You see a Raider, you shoot it. Understand that?"

"How will I know it's a Raider?"

"Trust me, you'll know. You ready?"

Posey felt the bandages Jude had wrapped around her head to keep the gauze pressed firmly to her ear. It was a bit sloppy, but it would hold. She got to her feet, feeling a little unsteady, but gripped her rifle tightly.

"Shall we?" She asked, and Jude flashed her a slight smile, before turning and leading the way further into the murky dark of the metro.

* * *

If asked, Posey doubted she could recall many of the details of the subsequent rooms in the Metro or how she made it to The Mall by the time the sun had reached its peak at noon, shining through the hazy clouds. It had been a blur of bloodstains and bullets, of Raiders filthy faces and twisted grins, their jeers and war cries. The screech of ghouls and the terrible mangled remains of the raider's victims hanging from meat hooks all along the metro. What she did know is that she wouldn't have made it if it weren't for Jude, and she privately thought he might not have either if she hadn't been there. They made a good team.

He'd taught her a lot as well. How to reload her gun after each fight so she'd be ready for the next, what to pick up and scavenge along the way and how to be as silent as possible so as to sneak up on enemies and get the jump on them. He'd been relatively happy about the loot they'd gathered, and Posey's bag and his pack were stuffed full of extra ammo, guns for spare parts and stimpacks and other drugs that they could sell for a decent amount of caps.

"You'd think the Brotherhood would know about that rats nest living beneath their feet and using their tunnels." Said Posey quietly as they took a moment to breathe in the fresh, or at least fresher, air of D.C. "Why don't they do anything about it?"

"Heck if I know. I've never liked the Brotherhood much. They're so high and mighty but all they are is a bunch of saps with some noble mumbo jumbo crammed into their brains and a big suit of armor."

"They're at least containing the Mutants in D.C." Said Posey, feeling oddly protective of the Brotherhood of Steel. Sarah Lyon's and her soldiers had seemed good to her, and that was more than she could say for most people she'd met in the Wasteland. "They could be roaming all over the Wastes if it weren't for them."

"Whatever. Let's get a move on. What's your map say? Where's the Museum of Technology?"

"Right there." Said Posey, pointing directly to their left. Jude looked surprised but then scowled, almost as if the ease of access to the Museum offended him.

"Probably full of mutants. And I'd bet there are some hanging out here too. Careful now, keep it quiet, like before."

Posey nodded, shifting her grip on her newly acquired assault rifle, and set off. They made a mad but silent dash for the doors to the museum, and managed to slip into the building unnoticed.

The entrance to the Museum of Technology was another example of what majesty humans were capable of creating, and also destroying. Lofty marble columns were now covered with grime and a few had crumbled. A model of a biplane that had once been suspended from the ceiling now lay in a crumpled heap on the intricate and filthy tiles. The electric lights sent beams of dusty light down onto the floor, a couple of them flickering dully. A mezzanine with a broken up railing lead deeper into the museum and Posey couldn't help but imagine what this place must have looked like, Pre-War. The tiles gleaming, the terminals humming and families walking about the place, looking at the exhibits without a care in the world.

"Stick to the walls." Said Jude, his lips so close to her ear she almost jumped. Her glorious vision of the golden age of America popped like a soap bubble and suddenly she was standing in a dank fallen down building, possibly infested with Super Mutants. She noticed again as she crept forward, Jude had a hint of a lisp once more. She cataloged a thought to ask him about that later.

There was one mutant, behind the plane, and Posey dispatched him with three quick headshots, and Jude ducked around her, as her shots had drawn the attention of a Brute, who came barreling down a carpeted set of stairs, guns blazing. Jude made short work of him with his Combat Shotgun. Truly, it was a destructive thing at close range, grotesquely so. It tended to leave Jude a little, messy.

Posey nodded towards the stairs and Jude nodded back, and they set off, Jude following behind as he had in the metro. Posey paused at the foot of the stairs, looking back at a book resting on a dusty desk with long abandoned and no longer working terminals. She took a few steps toward it, and picked it up.

"What're you doing?" Asked Jude, glancing around the place.

"Nothing, it's just-" She brushed her fingers of the dusty surface, the grey film sticking the her fingers and revealing a familiar cover underneath. "this book." She blew gently across it, a plume of dust followed and Posey grinned at the now clearly visible title. "This is it!" She said excitedly. "This is the book Jonas had,  _Duck and Cover the Extended Edition._ " She looked up at him, eyes shining. "This book can tell me how to disarm the bomb in Megaton!" She said with a wide grin.

Jude looked at it apprehensively. "You sure about that, blondie? And keep your voice down!"

"Yes! Look here," She rifled through the pages feverishly and held it over to him, pointing to a diagram. "This is the exact model of the bomb in Megaton!"

"Looks like it." Said Jude grudgingly, his eyes flicking from the book to the stairs above them. "Are you sure you can do it and not blow us all sky high?"

"Positive." Said Posey, looking at him with a determined smile. "I can do this. Here, put this in my duffel for me."

"Alright. Lets just get a move on."

Jude took it from her and slipped it into her bag.

"Thanks," She said, and she lead the way up the stairs, a new spring in her step. There were few things she loved more than a simple solution presented to her through a book. Somethings at least, hadn't changed.

At the end of the walkway that the stairs had deposited them on was an arrow, pointing towards the door directly in front of her. Printed on the arrow were the words,  _Vault Tour._ Posey's feet stilled and her smile from finding the book faded slightly.

"What's the matter?" Asked Jude, keeping his voice low.

She looked up and saw a model of rubble, leading to a cog shaped door that was all too familiar.

"Nothing." She said, shaking her head. "Let's go."

They stepped inside. The lights automatically flickered on and an automated friendly voice caused both of them to jump, and hold their guns up threateningly.

" _Vault-Tec welcomes you to our new line of subterranean vaults featuring our patented Triple-S technology."_  Said the chipper voice, and Posey lowered her gun, though still feeling her heart pound harder than necessary. She stepped forward, through the door, and looked around at the steel floorings, the lever that was identical to the one she'd pulled what seemed like months ago, but was in reality just last week.

It was a perfect model, an exact copy of Vault 101. Perhaps of all Vaults, but eerily similar to the place she had spent her childhood and Posey felt something pinch at her heart as she walked through the familiar structure in this unfamiliar city. She half expected to see Amata through one of the windows, or turn the corner and find Butch leaning arrogantly against the wall. When they passed the medical office, she was forced to a stop.

It was identical to her father's, except that it lacked her father's framed verse of Revelations 21:6, but the desk was the same, the layout a perfect copy. She could almost hear her father humming under his breath, see him sorting through files with is reading glasses perched on the edge of his nose. Jonas would be there too, clacking away at the office's terminal, and they would both look up as she entered, and both give her a smile. Jonas would tease her about something, and she would fire a quick quip back. Her father would ask how her day had gone, if Tom and Mary Cushman were making any progress in their counseling sessions. She turned away quickly, taking a jerky step forward before she could think about it any longer.

Her foot brushed something and she looked down and let out a little cry and jumped back, bumping into Jude. A grinning skeleton stared up at her and she stumbled back, nearly falling. She could feel Jude's steadying hand on her arm and hear his concerned voice in her ear but all she could see was that skeleton and, unbidden, the image of Jonas dead on the vault's steel floor came to her mind and she suppressed another cry.

"Blondie, hey, you're as white as sheet. It's just a skeleton, settle down. You look like you've seen a ghost."

She  _had_  seen a ghost, even if he hadn't. She looked up, hearing the cheerful feedback filled voice ringing in her ears,

" _Worried about security? Don't be! Our Eyes-On-You Camera's enable the Vault's Overseer to watch your every move! You'll never be alone again!"_

She took an unsteady step forward and ran the rest of the way out of the vault, the fluorescent lights blinding her each time they flickered on.

_Jonas, dead_.

She rushed on, another set of lights, another memory.

Her father's voice in the dark of her room when the power had gone out for a few hours when she was six.

" _It's alright Posey, my brave girl. I won't lose you, I promise."_

_Flash!_

Amata's bruised face, tears streaking down her cheeks as the door ground shut in front of her.

_Flash!_

Jonas. Dead.

"What're you doing!" Hissed Jude but she didn't stop until she was free from the Vault's metal throat, standing back in the Museum of Technology, panting and shivering. Her ear burned again and she could feel hot, slick blood under her bandage.

"What were you thinking?" Demanded Jude once he'd reached her, his eyes sweeping the museum angrily. "Making a racket like that, every Super Mutant in this place is going to-"

His voice died when he saw her face and he said, a little softer. "Blondie, what-"

"I'm sorry." She said, shaking her head. "I just... That place," She tried for a smile but it didn't work. "It's a little too close to home."

Jude swept his eyes over her, silently taking in in her pale wan face, the blood soaked bandage standing out vividly against her almost ashen skin.

"Let's get out of here." Said Jude at length, and Posey nodded. This time, he took the lead, and they delved deeper into the building.

* * *

Jude

Jude didn't know exactly what had spooked Posey back in the model of the Vault. He did know however, what it felt like to be chased by ghosts of home when all you wanted to do was forget about them. Except Posey might not be the suppressing and forgetting kind. Maybe she was actually in the business of dealing with emotions in a healthy manner.

She would be.

He followed behind her, treading softly and quietly, keeping his eyes sweeping across the building watching for any signs of movement. They entered the West Wing and Jude hoped they were going the right way. There was no way to know really. There were some signs on the walls directing to them towards the Space Exploration Exhibits but who knew how accurate those were now. Posey's steps were confident however, and she kept checking the thing on her wrist periodically. It must have had some kind of map.

They paused in front of a pair of doors with shattered windows. Through the gap created by the broken windows, he could see something like a missile, standing in the center of the room, with stairs wrapping around the walls around the contraption. He could also hear the gravelly voices of Super Mutants. Posey glanced back at him, and Jude shrugged. Depending on whether the Super Mutants were above them on the stairs, or even better, a landing far above; they might be able to sneak by them.

Posey nudged open the doors, and crept down the stairs, after glancing up and finding no Super Mutants on the levels above. She paused though, and Jude froze as well, both of them spotting the Super Mutant who thankfully had yet to see them. Posey took careful aim and Jude was glad to see that she didn't shake, her form was practically flawless despite her shake up back at the vault. It took one shot from her Assault Rifle and the Mutant crumpled, and the pair of them hurried on, lest their gunshots draw more Mutants. At the bottom of the stairs, there was another Mutant, just cluing into the fact that he was no longer alone.

_Thank goodness they're stupid._ He thought as he stepped in front of Posey and dealt the usual devastating blow of his Combat Shotgun. He gave the gun an almost affectionate look before turning to Posey.

"We've got to be close, come on. Let's go."

They jogged forward now, through the once stately hallways, pausing at the door to the Virgo II Lunar Landing display. He waited, mouthing at her "Ready?"

She looked pale and tired but gave him a firm nod. He nodded back, and pushed the doors open.

Posey as usual, took point, sniping at the Super Mutant that was above them, while Jude ran in, shotgun at the ready to take on an unfortunately heavily muscled, even larger than normal Super Mutant. He dodged its swinging blows, the heavy lead of its crude club cracking the tile below their feet. Jude fired, feeling the usual kickback of his gun and the Mutant stumbled, a gaping wound in its chest. Jude prepared to fire again when a searing pain flashed through his shoulder. A bullet from the Mutant Posey had just dispatched had gone wild in its effort to shoot her and apparently, grazed his shoulder. His leather armor had protected him for the most part, but he could feel blood slip down the front of his chest, sticking his armor and his undershirt to his skin.

He looked back at the Mutant just in time to see a meaty green arm swing at him, knocking him clean off his feet, and sending him crashing onto the tile below, his head cracking with a sunburst of stars on the floor. Dazed, he lifted his head to see the wounded Mutant bearing down on him, blood seeping from the wound caused by his shotgun, his club held high when there was a flash of pale blonde hair and a sharp  _crack_ , and the mutant dropped.

Posey's pale, dirt streaked and worried face appeared above his.

"Jude?" She asked breathlessly. "Jude, are you alright?"

He coughed, struggling to get air back into his lungs.

"Jude!"

"Get that damn disk and let's get out of here." He wheezed, sitting up and rubbing his head, could already feel a large bump forming under his fingers. Posey let out a shaky laugh and helped him to his feet. Her hand felt almost too small in his but she managed to pull him up and steady him when he swayed on the spot, nearly toppling over again.

"You wait here." She said, leading him over to the stairs and helping him sit down again. "I'll grab the disk. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." He said, and he knew he sounded irritable, but he figured he had the right to at this point. "You can patch me up later, lets just go!"

"Okay, if you throw up, it means you're concussed. So tell me if you feel nauseous."

"Yeah yeah you're a regular Nurse Nancy now grab that disk!"

Posey scurried over to the display and fiddled about with the disk, trying to detach it without harming it in any way. Jude allowed his eyes to drift shut as he leaned against the railing of the stairs, his head throbbing and shoulder stinging. He'd thought, for a moment, he seriously might have been a goner. With that brute leering down at him and his head spinning. He'd gone all sentimental on this quest to help this girl and it was going to get him killed. But, it didn't. Posey had been quick, quicker than he could have ever been. Darting in front of that monster like that, no fear in her stance as she jammed the barrel of her rifle under its jaw and fired. Then, those eyes when she'd leaned over him, panic stricken and the sort of blue that would be found on postcards from the beach. If this place still had a postal system, or beaches.

"I've got the disk."

Jude opened his eyes, and saw Posey, clutching the disk to her chest, looking triumphant.

"Come on, we've got to get this to the Washington Monument. We can't miss it, it's the tallest thing here in D.C."

She wasn't as small as he'd always thought, as he realized when he stood up. True, the top of her head didn't quite clear his shoulder but she seemed, bigger now. Perhaps it was the way she was standing, shoulders square, chin up and eyes blazing, a smile twisting her lips. Little victories, they had the disk and they were still alive. He shook his head,

"Alright blondie, lead the way."

* * *

"I said run! Not run  _into me_!" Bellowed Jude. Bullets rained down around them as the pair of them sprinted towards the Monument. All had been going well for a while, the two of them had been sneaking past the Mutants, and were almost to the monument when the sun, which had been hiding behind the clouds all day, suddenly decided to make an appearance. And the bright, reflect surface of the dish in Posey's hands suddenly shone like a beacon, attracting the attention of three Super Mutants.

_Where are those Brotherhood bozos_ now! He thought, a bullet whistling by his ear. Posey's usually pale face was slowly growing redder as the two of them ran and her hair was slipping out of its braid. Her grip hadn't slipped on the dish though, and at last, sandbag barriers with two Brotherhood of Steel members standing behind them came into view.

"A little help!" Bellowed Jude.

"Step aside civilians, you're not authorized-"

"Authorized my ass  _shoot those mutants_!"

They skidded to a halt in front of the gates leading to the monument and Posey slammed the keys on the terminal next to the gate while the Brotherhood members advanced on the Mutants, and bullets still ricocheted around them. The gates swung open and the two of them dived inside, landing hard on the paving stones inside. The gates swung shut again, muffling the sound of gunfire and shouts minimally.

They lay, side by side, panting in the dust, staring up at the sky, the shadow of the Washington Monument falling over the pair of them. Jude's shoulder, which had stopped bleeding by the time they made it out of the Museum, was now at it again, and his head pounded. Posey looked ready to throw up, her face was bright red, her hair sticking to her face and her bandage covering her ear slipping off.

"Well," She said, panting heavily, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Jude scoffed, but felt his lips twitch up in a smile in spite of himself.

"I've seen worse." He replied. "Maybe not in the last decade, but still, worse."

Posey laughed, and Jude felt himself shaking with a silent one as well.

"I can't believe-" Said Posey through giggles, "You just said 'Authorized my ass' to that Brotherhood captain."

"I can't believe they told us to 'step aside'. What pricks."

"I can't believe I got a piece of my ear shot off today." Said Posey, placing a hand over her bandage, and laughing almost hysterically.

Jude sniggered, "I can't believe I talked myself into thinking that helping you would be a good idea." He said, staring up at the sky, feeling as if the earth were slowly spinning beneath him and the only thing grounding him was Posey's laugh in his ear and the throbbing in his head.

"I can't believe that either." Said Posey, and she slowly got to her feet. "Even I don't think it's a good idea."

"Let's get that relay in place," Said Jude, getting laboriously to his feet. "and get back to Three Dog. You're old man can't be that far ahead of us now." Posey sobered up at once, her smile diminishing and she nodded, leading the way into the monument.

Inside, there wasn't much to see, just a set of tarnished gold doors and more dirty and cracked tile.

"An elevator." Said Posey in utter fascination. "I've read about these."

"Well now's your chance to get a look at one, up close and personal." Said Jude, depressing the button next to the doors.

"Have you ever ridden in one before?" Asked Posey, stepping inside as the doors slid open.

"Nope, frankly I have no idea what this thing is." Said Jude, joining her while she pushed the up arrow.

"But you just pushed the button to call it down. How did you know to do that?"

"It seemed like the thing to do." He said with a shrug. "I saw a button and I pushed it. It's not rocket science."

The doors slid shut and the elevator jerked, pulleys and gears grinding to life and Jude felt his insides drop away as it lurched upwards. The elevator shuddered and Jude shot out his hand, gripping Posey's shoulder tightly.

"What is this thing!" He asked, his heart in his throat and eyes wide. Posey laughed and Jude looked across at her in what was as close to terror as he'd been in a long time.

"It's an elevator." She repeated, her voice loud over the grating pulleys and ropes. "They were more common in Pre-War times. It's an alternative to stairs. My guess is this is probably a rope elevator, rather than a hydraulic."

"Rope!" Demanded Jude, nearly hysterical.

"More like steel cables." Amended Posey. The elevator trembled and she reached out, steadying herself against his good shoulder. "The cables are attached to the elevator car, and looped around a sheave . A sheave is just a pulley with a grooves around the circumference. The sheave grips the hoist ropes, so when you rotate the sheave, the ropes move too. The sheave is connected to-"

The elevator shuddered again and Jude fell back against the wall, bracing himself against it.

"Why would they have this rather than stairs." Demanded Jude, squeezing his eyes tightly shut. He'd never felt this unsteady before. He felt like his stomach had been left behind at the bottom of this awful contraption.

"Well think about it, you'd have to make a pretty tight spiral staircase to even fit in a building this shape. An elevator is just more-" It trembled again and Jude flinched. "convenient." Finished Posey, looking at him with a slight smile. Jude looked back at her with scowl, and to his relief, the elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors opened with a slight  _ding._ He stepped out of the elevator with shaky legs and Posey tired to suppress another smile.

"Maybe you should sit down while I replace this relay. You look a little, pale." She said, and Jude shot her a withering look.

"Whatever, I need to take care of my shoulder anyway."

"Oh right," Posey looked instantly both concerned and guilty. "I forgot about that, here let me-"

"I can do it." Said Jude a little snappishly. "You work your egghead magic."

Posey dropped off her duffel and medical supplies by him as he rested heavily on a chair in the corner of the observational deck while Posey meandered over to a set of complicated looking machinery and started tinkering with it while Jude laboriously started removing his leather armor, and letting it fall to the ground. He sat for a moment, letting his skin enjoy the breeze from up here, and watched Posey fiddle with all the wires, a slight frown creasing her features. His shoulder stung slightly, but he knew it wasn't anything serious. His armor had done its job. The bullet barely grazed the top of his right shoulder, it wasn't even by his neck. He pulled off his undershirt and set to cleaning and bandaging it. The blood had trickled down from his shoulder to his chest and now was covered in fine white fuzz from his shirt. He cleaned that off too and just slipped his undershirt back over his head when Posey cried in delight.

"Got it!"

She looked up from where she'd been messing with her odd watch thing, and Jude could hear from hear the unmistakable cadence and timbre of Three Dog's voice echoing from its speaker.

"Well I'll be damned." He said, listening to the radio broadcast a crooning song, a woman's mellow voice floating across the air. "Not bad, Blondie."

" _Let's go sunning  
_

_It's so good for you_

_Let's go sunning_

_Beneath the sky of blue_

_Greet the sun every morn_

_Feel as free and happy as the day you were born"_

Posey let out a delighted laugh, and started to sway, smiling widely.

"What are you doing?" Asked Jude as she twirled on the spot her arms outstretched.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm dancing!"

Her hips swinging and her hair falling from its braid she looked utterly ridiculous, but... happy.

" _Be creative_

_Learn to live and play_

_Pretty flowers need the sun_

_This applies to everyone."_

"Where did you learn to dance, blondie?" He said, smirking slightly, leaning back in his chair.

"Not much to do down in the Vault. You get creative." Said Posey, carefully picking her way across the floor littered with tubes and wires. She actually wasn't too bad, not that Jude had any idea what good dancing looked like. No one in the Wasteland bothered with such things. The jazzy notes cascaded through the air and Jude found himself nodding slightly along with the beat.

" _Life's worth living_

_When nature's giving_

_Happiness to everyone_

_Let's go sunning."_

Jude laughed in spite of himself as Posey wobbled, the toe of her boot catching on a wire leading from the broadcast rely and nearly causing her to fall.

"Steady on," Said Jude, standing up "You just fixed the thing, you don't want to break do you?"

"You sure you're not just saying that so I'll stop?"

"Whatever works." Said Jude and Posey stuck out her tongue before dancing her way over to the edge of the deck, and leaning out on the railing, looking out over the wasteland.

"I thought you didn't like heights." He said, joining her.

"I'll make an exception occasionally. Besides, no one is  _really_ afraid of heights. They're afraid of falling."

He let that sink in for a moment, and stared out at the dilapidated skyline of D.C. watching the hazy clouds transform into pinks and oranges as the sun slowly sank. He glanced over at Posey, who's eyes were transfixed on the sky, drinking in the fantastic colors, her face awash in the golden light of the setting sun, the wispy hair framing her face making an almost halo in the fading light. He'd never seen anyone stare at the sky with such open and unabashed awe. He'd never seen anyone dance before. Let alone someone who'd just had part of their ear blasted off, and was out in the Wasteland for the first time, looking for someone and with hardly a clue as to where to start.

"We're at the Washington Monument." She said quietly, finally dropping her gaze and staring out at the Capitol building, its majestic dome crumbling in one itself. "Do you know how many people would come here, before the war?"

Jude shook his head.

"Millions. One year, nineteen million. Nineteen million people have ridden in that elevator, and have stood where we're standing. Looking out over the capitol building when it still had presidents and party members and meetings."

"Now I really don't want to go back in that elevator."

Posey laughed, and Jude's lips twitched up in a smile. It was so infectious, it was hard not to.

"You live in a town with an undetonated bomb in the center of it and you're scared of an elevator?" She said incredulously.

"I don't live in Megaton." Said Jude, looking back out over the ruins of D.C.

"Where do you live, then."

"Nowhere, at the moment." Said Jude with a shrug.

"But,"

"I stay in the Common House in Megaton when I'm there, and I've rented a room out in Rivet City when I need a place to crash and I'm in the neighborhood, but I don't 'live' anywhere. I scavenge, and I sell what I scavenge to Moria or the buyers in Rivet City, then I scavenge some more."

"Back in the Museum," said Posey after a pause. "You had a lisp, sometimes. Why was that?"

"If you're trying to be quiet, the S sound is the loudest one there is.  _Th_ is a lot softer than  _Ss._ So if you have to talk to someone, and you need to be quiet about it, you use a lisp."

"Where did you learn that?"

Jude fingers twitched, and unconsciously he ran his fingers over his collarbone, but with his armor on, he couldn't feel the round scar he knew would be there.

"Let's get going," He said, standing up suddenly. "We want to make it back to Three Dog before dark."

"But-"

"Listen Blondie, don't go digging around in my memory banks alright?" He said, harsher than he meant to. "You might be alright with the whole world knowing your sob story but I'm not, okay?"

"Jude I-"

Jude winced, and he suddenly wished he hadn't told her his real name. He walked over to the elevator and punched the down button.

"I don't want to be in D.C. after dark, get the lead out."

Posey looked back at him, looking more confused than wounded at his harsh tone, but followed him into the elevator without another word.

* * *

Posey

Back at the G.N.R studios, Posey buzzed the intercom and waited for a response, shifting her weight anxiously from foot to foot. The journey back had been a little, uncomfortable. Ever since Jude had snapped at her, back at the monument, Posey had almost regretted asking about his past.  _Almost._ Not enough that she wouldn't do it again.

She knew it was rude to poke around in someone's life, especially when it seemed like whatever had happened had hurt him. She also knew it wasn't any of her business, but she couldn't help it. Jude was just so,  _enigmatic._ That was a good word for him. She just hoped he wasn't the serial killer sort of enigmatic.

The intercom crackled and a voice called. "Alright, come in." And Posey opened the door, stepping into the building, Jude following close behind.

"Three Dog is waiting for you upstairs." Said the nearest Brotherhood member. Posey nodded, still unnerved by their odd helmets. It was disconcerting and difficult to tell if they were looking at you or not.

"Hey, the Hero of the Wastes returns!" Three Dog cried, flashing Posey a wide grin as she stepped into his studios and he stood to greet her.

"Your broadcast relay is set." Said Posey, crossing her arms across her chest. "It should be set up, I could get your broadcast from downtown."

"Excellent, excellent!" He crowed, obviously delighted. "See, I knew you could do it. I'm tellin' ya. Three Dog knows how to pick 'em, and you kid." He gave her another smile, "Are destined for greatness."

Jude snorted softly and Posey shot him a withering look.

"So, my dad," Said Posey slowly.

"Right right, of course. You kept up your end of the deal. Your dad was here, like I said, we had a conversation. Real great guy. He was talking about some scientific mumbo jumbo, mentioned a Project Purity. I didn't understand it but he seemed real into it. He also said something about visiting a Doctor Li in Rivet City. Then he left in a hurry."

"Rivet City." Said Posey, "Alright, where's that?"

"You don't know where-" Three Dog looked stunned. "Wow, just wow."

"I know where it is." Said Jude, "We'll head out in the morning."

"You're welcome to crash here." Said Three Dog, "Least I could do, you saved my baby."

_Sure,_ now  _you're accommodating._ Thought Posey wryly.

"Thanks Three Dog."

"You're very welcome. Good luck out there. And remember, keep us tuned in and watch yourself."

Posey nodded and left the studio, heading down to the bunk room, followed by Jude.

"Rivet City isn't too far from here." He said, tossing down his pack when they reached the bunk room and starting to undo the many straps and buckles of his leather armor. "We should get there by tomorrow night if we leave first thing."

"Alright." Said Posey "And Jude,"

He paused, half way out of his armor, his white tee shirt stained with blood from his graze.

"I'm sorry, back at the monument. It wasn't my place to-"

"Don't worry about it." He said, shucking the rest of his armor and flopping back onto a bed. Posey blushed and looked away now that he was clad only in his undershirt and shorts.

"But you know who doesn't like talking about their pasts?" She said quietly as she slipped out of Butch's jacket and pulled out one of her spare Vault 101 Jumpsuits to sleep in. Jude opened one eye and looked at her exasperatedly.

"Who?" He said dryly.

"Raging psychopaths who prey on young girls." Finished Posey, raising her eyebrows and looking at him seriously.

Jude snorted and rolled over, pulling his blanket up over his shoulder.

"Good night, Blondie." He said irritably. Posey smiled at his back and said,

"Good night, Carolina."

Jude gave a slight huff of annoyance but Posey simply laughed. She couldn't see it, but even Jude's lips twisted up in a slight smile before dropping quickly off to sleep.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And once again I am incapable of writing a chapter that is under 8,000 words. I'm sorry! I hope there's not to many mistakes. I really tried to crank this chapter out for you guys, so it might be a little rushed.
> 
> As usual, thanks for reading lovelies! Please please please PLEASE comment! Am I desperate? Yes. Am I ashamed? Also yes, because I know I shouldn't need validation from strangers on the internet. 
> 
> But it really does help


	8. Fire and The Flood

**Chapter Eight**

**"The Fire and The Flood"**

**'I was only walking through your neighborhood**

**Saw you out loud honey in the cold I stood**

**Anywhere I go there you are**

**Anywhere I go there you are**

**You're the fire and the flood**

**And I'll always feel you in my blood**

**Everything is fine**

**When your hand is resting next to mine**

**Next to mine**

**You're the fire and the flood**

**Since we met I feel a lightness in my step**

**You're miles away but I still feel you**

**Anywhere I go there you are**

**Anywhere I go there you are**

* * *

Posey

"Okay, Blondie, I'm gonna help you find your Dad, but I don't know how long I'm sticking with you, so I'm also gonna try, emphasis on  _try_  and teach you how to make it on your own out in the Wasteland, if the need arises. So listen close."

Jude took long strides, covering as much ground as he could, and didn't have a problem overtaking random bits of rubble or boulders despite the rather enormous and heavy looking pack on his back. It was a little taxing for Posey to keep up. She'd never considered herself to be extremely small or petite, and she'd always considered herself one of the more physically fit members of the Vault what with being on the baseball team and her father's insistence of taking care of her body. She had been five foot six at her last check up and had a good time on the mile they'd had to run for P.E. but Jude towered over her and was just so  _big_. His shoulders were broad and his biceps were as big as her head and nothing appeared to be slowing him down.

 _Okay, that's probably stretching it a bit_. She thought, scrabbling over a broken bit of asphalt and nearly falling in her haste to catch up with her new guide,  _but only a bit._  He just seemed so solid.

They'd made it out of the Metro again without too much trouble, and now were tromping across the Wasteland headed for Rivet City. They'd set out of G.N.R's Plaza at five in the morning, and now they were approaching nine o'clock, and Posey felt herself starting to lag a little.

"Blondie, did you catch any of that?"

"Huh?" Posey shaded her eyes from the Wasteland's unforgiving rays and looked up at him. He frowned down at her, then raised his eyebrows slightly, waiting for her response, which she hurried to deliver. "Yeah, yeah I listened. You're going to teach me the ways of the Wasteland."

"But did you actually listen to me telling you about  _how to survive_?"

"Well, no, I didn't catch that bit," She said, feeling herself blush, "But it's not my fault! You need to slow down a bit, my legs aren't as long as yours."

Jude rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay, rule number one. Out here," He gestured to the vast and derelict buildings around them. The route to Rivet City on this side of the Potomac river was surprisingly metropolitan. Or it would have been if the buildings hadn't been bombed out and condemned. "We are vulnerable. The Wasteland is dangerous.  _Especially_  in areas like this. You don't want to take a leisurely stroll out here, so you make good time or you die. The end."

"Okay, but if I pass out from exhaustion trying to keep up with your freakishly long strides you're going to have to carry me, or leave me to die. That's rule number two."

Jude looked down at the ground for several moments before cocking his head to the left and staring out over the Wasteland, his jaw clenched, in a classic, " _What have I gotten myself into_." look.

"Fine, I'll slow down a little, but you've got to start building up your endurance, Blondie."

"My name is Posey," She said a little shortly. "Po-zee." She said, exaggerating its pronunciation "Like posy, as in a small bunch of flowers. Or just a flower. It's really  _not_ that hard."

Jude ignored her but true to his word relaxed his strides slightly so the two of them were walking side by side.

"Rule number three," He said, hiking his bag higher up on his shoulder. "and this is an important rule, so listen close."

"You've said that already, aren't they all important?"

"Okay new rule number three and this is the MOST important one." He said shortly, looking down at her. "Stop interrupting me."

"Alright, alright. My lips are sealed. Carry on, master."

Jude rolled his eyes and let out a deep breath he'd been holding, then said, "Rule number four: Out here, in the wasteland, people are only looking out for one person, themselves. Everyone out here is a selfish bastard and the sooner you learn that the happier you'll be. So-"

"Everyone except you, you mean."

Jude looked down at her in surprise, he even stopped, mid stride. "Wh-what?" He stuttered. "What do you mean, except for me?"

"Well, you're helping me, aren't you? You don't have to, I don't know you from Adam and I can't pay you, at least not yet. So you're clearly not in this for yourself. You're not a selfish bastard."

Jude stared down at the girl from the vault, mouth open and gaping. "I.."

"So the question is," Said Posey slowly, stepping in front of him so his shadow fell across her, shielding her eyes from the harsh sun that was just starting its climb in the sky. "why are you helping me? What could you possibly get out of our bargain, Mr. Hiller?"

"I.." Jude cleared his throat and stepped past her, scrubbing the back of his head, "Rule number five..."

Posey smiled widely at the man's back and jogged forward to catch up.

 _He's not so big and scary. What a softie._ She thought, jogging after him.

Most of Jude's rules were common sense based, but it was a line of thinking Posey wasn't used to. Things like cleaning your gun every chance you got so it wouldn't jam at a critical moment and cost you your life or keeping a careful eye on your water supply. Scavenging everything you came across, taking into account the weight and worth of each item that you found, which he taught her as well. Chems for instance (jet, psycho, med-x and the like) were virtually weightless and could fetch a high price to the right buyers, while extra guns were worth much, but also very heavy but were vital in the upkeep of your own weapons as repeats of the same model could be salvaged for parts.

"Always pick up ammo." Said Jude, pausing and climbing up a particularly large chunk of rubble impeding their path. "Even if you don't have a gun that will take it yet, you might end up with one eventually, and if you have it, that means some other nut job doesn't. Which in turn means your not going to end up with a very violent case of lead poisoning. This all making sense?"

"Yeah." Said Posey, attempting to not sound so out of breath, and failing. Jude looked back down at her and reached out his hand, gripping her forearm and practically lifting her up onto the ledge he was on, and making sure she was steady before releasing her arm.

"Maybe we should take a break." He said, shifting his pack on his shoulders. "Can't have you fainting on me."

"I'm not going to faint." Said Posey, squinting up at him. Truly, this sun was getting annoying, and she could already feel her skin starting to burn. Jude looked at her critically, his eyes taking in the pink cheeks and nose, her skin still new to the UV radiation. He let out a sigh and motioned for her to follow him, where he lead the way to an overhang provided by a crumbling building. The structure looked far from secure but it created a decent amount of shade.

"We'll rest here for a bit." Said Jude, setting down his heavy pack and leaning back against the stone"You got any water in that Vault bag of yours?"

"A bit." Said Posey, joining him gladly, reveling in the shade that the building provided. She pulled out her last two bottles of water and handed one over to him.

"Damn, purified even." He said appreciatively, taking the clean bottle in his dusty hand.

"Of course it's purified. It's from the Vault."

"They had a working purifier?" Said Jude with wide eyes.

"Yeah, doesn't Megaton?"

"It has the Water Processing Plant." Said Jude, "It takes care of most major pathogens but it doesn't do squat for radiation. Did the Vault's purifier?"

"Yes, of course it did." Said Posey, dumbfounded. "You mean you've been drinking irradiated water your  _entire life?"_

"Well, yeah."

"How are you still alive?" Demanded Posey, aghast.

"Sheer stubbornness at this point, I'm sure." Said Jude, closing his eyes and settling back against the structure and closing his eyes. His skin didn't seem to be suffering from the prolonged sun exposure, but it was already tanned so deeply that maybe didn't really matter anymore. He had a few days growth of stubble along his jaw, and a scar she'd never noticed following his temple, and over all, looked the sort of rugged and scruffy man that Posey was surprised she hadn't turn tail and ran by now. She felt sure that had she seen Jude last year, or even a month ago, he would have frightened her more than she cared to admit. Perhaps she was braver than she gave herself credit for. Or just desperate for help, no matter where it came from.

Probably the latter.

"So do you have any idea why your old man jumped ship?" Asked Jude, drawing Posey out of her thoughts.

"My guess is whatever this Project Purity is probably what drew him out." Said Posey, looking down and frowning at the cracked paving stones beneath her boots. "He was the Vault's doctor, but he knew a lot more than just medical science."

"So he was an egghead."

Posey shot him a half hearted glare, which he didn't see, as he busied himself with opening his water bottle and downing half of it.

"Yeah," she said dryly, "I guess he was. He was always looking at some kind of notes, always had his nose buried in paperwork. Well," She trailed off for a moment and thought of all the times her father had taken time to listen to her, and play a quick game of catch down on the reactor floor when Posey got a little too agitated over whatever drama she was forced to endure in her marriage counseling sessions. And when she was a child, he'd never refused her when she brought him the only three children's books she'd had.  _You're S.P.E.C.I.A.L_ ,  _I am a Bunny_ , and  _The Jolly Barnyard_. He read them all so many times, he had them memorized, and could even pronounce lines from them when she was grown, much to Posey's chagrin. "not always, I suppose." She finished slowly, following the path of a particularly large crack with the tip of her finger.

"He didn't leave you anything, no explanation at all?"

"He left me a note." Said Posey, looking down at her Pip-Boy.

"Well, let's hear it."

"What?" Posey unconsciously drew her Pip-Boy a little closer. Her last note from her father was...personal. She wasn't sure how she felt about rough and tumble "Colorado" listening in on what her father had thought was the last bit of corresponsive he and his daughter would share for a long while.

"It might have some clue about where he was heading. He might have said something you didn't catch. Let me see it." Jude sat up, finally opening his eyes and looking at her expectantly.

"It.. It's not that kind of note. It was a holotape. It's downloaded onto my Pip-Boy."

"That watch thing?" He said, glancing down at it. "Well then, play it." Said Jude with a shrug.

She looked at him, feeling oddly bashful. He stared back, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Come on, Blondie, we don't have all day." He said a little snappily, and Posey reluctantly looked down to her Pip-Boy's screen and selected her holotape files. She waited, listening to her Pip-Boy's internal hard drive whir for a moment before her father's familiar voice began:

" _Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first._

 _I... I don't really know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand, but I know you might be angry. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you not to know. So many things could have gone wrong and there's really no telling how the overseer_   _will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously you already know that I'm gone. It was something I needed to do. You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me. God knows life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going."_

Posey bit her lip, fighting back tears that the first rendition of the note hadn't caused. She turned away slightly from Jude, but kept her Pip-Boy's speaker clear so the rest of the note would be audible.

" _Remember your mother's favorite verse? Revelations 21:6. 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.' I can't tell you what it means, but please Posey, know that I'm doing this for you. And your mother. I owe it to you both."_

She glanced over at Jude for a moment, to see his reaction, but he was listening hard, scanning the Wasteland's horizon, eyes narrowed and jaw set.

" _Don't mean to rush you Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with."_

Jonas' voice caused a lump to rise in her throat and she clenched her fists tight, feeling the familiar sting of her nails into her palms as she turned away again, looking up instead at the endless clouded sky above them beyond the edge of the overhang.

" _Okay, go ahead Jonas. Goodbye, Posey, I love you. Never forget that."_

"Well, I'm just taking a shot in the dark here." Said Jude dryly once the downloaded file finished playing. "But I'd say he  _didn't_ want you to follow him."

"I had to." Said Posey, proud at how steady her voice sounded, even though her eyes were prickling with unshed tears.

"Why? Why leave the cushy Vault life with purified water and working showers for this mess?"

"I would rather die out here than grow old down in that prison with The Overseer breathing down my neck." Said Posey throatily, her voice heavy with unshed tears. She cleared her throat and shook her head, "A-and anyway," She continued, her voice now bearing the faintest tremble. "The Overseer kind of tried to kill me, so I didn't have much of a choice." She finished, a little dryly, all previous hints at melodrama dissipated in the afternoon air of cynicism. "And the showers really weren't all that great. They were always really cold."

"Better than irradiated and communal." Said Jude just as cynically. "Believe you me, there are worse sights than Feral Ghouls out here. Lots of Megaton Settlers don't really care who sees what in the bathroom, and they're not all exactly in their prime."

Posey let out a slight laugh, quickly stifling it behind her palm. She glanced up at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth to prevent a further slip up of mirth and he flashed her a slight smirk in return.

"Also, how come you get to be nosy?" She said, as he turned away rummaging in his pack for something. "If I ask  _you_ a question you get all snappy and tell me to shove off."

"I'm just trying to help you find your dad." He said without turning back to her. " _My_ questions are actually pertinent."

"Not that last one." Said Posey mulishly. "I get to ask you a probing question now."

"Doesn't mean I have to answer."

"Well that's hardly fair." She said, crossing her arms and glaring at his back.

"Life's  _not_ fair, sweetheart. You should know that by now."

"Why did you go by Colorado if your name is Jude? Where did you come up with Colorado?"

"I saw it on an old license plate. And what I go by is my business, thank you very much."

Posey's scowl deepened. "Maybe you're not selfish, but you are a stubborn bastard." Muttered Posey grumpily.

"Yep." Said Jude, turning back to her, and simultaneously getting to his feet. "Now let's get a move on. We've been sitting too long, and we're almost there anyway."

Posey was still petulant as she scrambled to her feet, her muscles screaming in protest as she hauled her duffel bag back up onto her shoulders. She tried not to show the strain, but Jude watched her, his gaze unreadable as she hauled her Assault Rifle back up into her arms, looking out at the Wasteland almost bitterly, as if it were at fault for her aching feet.

"You look a little red, Blondie." He remarked, eyes sweeping over her sunburned nose and cheeks.

"Yeah well, nineteen years of no UV exposure then forty eight hours of nothing but will do that to a person." Said Posey, adjusting her Assault Rifle in her grip and shifting her weight from foot to foot. She'd never been this  _sore_. Jude eyed her critically, then let out a sigh, crouching down and rifling through his pack. He straightened up and thrust something at her with a gruff,

"Here, it's better than nothing."

She looked at Jude, puzzled, then down to his hand, where he had clutched a faded and worn baseball cap. She let her eyes dart up to his again, a slight smile twisting her lips as she hesitantly reached out and accepted the small offering.

"Why do you-"

"Would you just take the damn hat so you don't burn to a crisp?" He said, shoving it into her hands. "And hurry it up, like I said, we're not that far away and I want to be out of here by the time it gets dark. Rule number one, Blondie."

"Make good time, or you're toast." Said Posey dutifully, pulling the baseball cap securely onto her head.

"Glad to see your dad wasn't the only egghead down in that Vault. Alright, let's go."

* * *

Jude

Jude, contrary to Posey's belief, did acknowledge the unfairness of the "Deep Probing Questions" front. He also acknowledged that he didn't care what she thought was fair. As far as he was concerned, all his questions had been perfectly reasonable. If there was some insidious reason as to why she'd left the vault, (What if they  _did_  have whacked out experimentation, or cannibals, or some kind of plague?) he had the right to know about it. He looked back over his shoulder and let out a slight snort. Posey was toddling after him, her ridiculous leather jacket tied around her waist, the hat he'd given her casting a shadow over her face and simultaneously making her look about twelve years old. She glanced up at him, and he reconsidered that thought. He didn't know many twelve year olds, but he was pretty sure they didn't have faces like that. She was something that Gob or Walter would have called a Doll. Cute? Yes. Insidious? Not in the slightest.

He turned back around, hiking his pack higher up on his shoulders and trudged on. He knew exactly where Rivet City was, it was just a matter of approaching the city from a different direction than he was use to that made him wary. Also the fact that had yet to run into any Raiders or Super Mutants. This close to ruins, they should have run into almost a dozen of each by now. But the way was completely and utterly, quiet.

They followed along the river, walking side by side on the decaying sidewalk when Jude spotted them. Super Mutants.

"Hey," He said, holding up a hand, his knuckles just brushing Posey's shoulder. "watch it, there's a couple of greenies up ahead."

"A couple of-"

"Super Mutants." Elaborated Jude, slowly taking his gun from its usual place in the harness on his back. "But they're a good ways off, look." He pointed across the river to a building surrounded by metal walkways. The building sat in the middle of the mess, its rounded roof distinct among the old high rises they'd seen thus far. "Huh, we're closer than I thought." He murmured, squinting off to the east. "You can see Rivet City from here, look." He pointed to where the outline of the carrier turned city was visible. Since their break, clouds had rolled over the sun, and nearly rendering the cap on Posey's head virtually pointless.

"Think we can sneak past those Mutants?" Asked Posey, her grip on her gun shifting and Jude felt her shrink a little closer to him, almost unconsciously.

"Easy." Said Jude, glaring over at the murky shapes of the Mutants. "We can be quick, stick to the buildings and they'll never even notice we're here. Come on."

Jude wasn't remotely worried about the Mutants, but saw Posey's eyes dart back to the hulking creatures every so often, and her knuckles were white on her rifle.

"They're not gonna see us, Blondie." He said quietly "Come on."

As they slunk past the mutants, Jude kept a close eye on both the mutants and Posey, keeping his gaze between the two of them. She was smart, and for the most part, careful and he doubted she could do anything to attract the Mutant's attention unless she started jumping up and down and waving her arms, but he was still wary. His skepticism had saved his life on more than one occasion and so until it failed him, the thought he'd keep at it. But, he had no need to be wary and they passed by the oddly shaped building with little incident.

Bringing Posey to Rivet City was worth it just to see how wide her eyes got as they made their way up the metal walk that Jude had climbed dozens of times before. Posey's enormous blue eyes swept across the beached hanger with interest mingled with amazement, looking much more appreciative than he had when he'd first laid eyes on the craft. He'd thought it looked like a dump. He passed his way up to the intercom without a pause, and pressed the button that initiated a buzz of static.

"Welcome to Rivet City, please wait for the bridge to extend."

"This is amazing." Said Posey, looking from Rivet City back to Jude. "There's a city in there! How many people?"

"I don't know. Never really bothered counting." He said as he stepped back, propping his gun up on his shoulder and watching with bemusement as Posey's eyes widened still as with a great screeching of rusty metal, the bridge to swung out to meet them.

"Don't leave your mouth hangin open like that, Blondie." Said Jude, stepping onto the bridge. "You don't know what's going to fly in there."

Posey clamped her jaw shut tight and hurried after him, jogging to keep up as they approached the doors to Rivet City. As they approached, Jude raised a hand in greeting to the familiar figure of Rivet City's head of security, Harkness, and was surprised when the man, who was usually, well, not exactly  _nice_ but at least not openly hostile towards him, held up his laser rifle threateningly and said gruffly: "Hold it right there."

Jude was almost offended. A lack of open hostility was about as close as Jude got to friendship, and this was certainly a new development.

"State your business in Rivet City." Said Harkness, and Jude noticed his rifle was trained, not on him, but on Posey.

"Hey, Harkness." He said, stepping forward, in front of Posey slightly "She's-"

"Quiet," snapped Harkness, glancing at Jude for a fraction of a second before pinning his eyes back on Posey, who had stiffened but to Jude's surprise, held her ground.

"I'm looking for Doctor Li." Said Posey evenly.

"Harkness, she's with me." Said Jude irritably. Harkness ignored Jude entirely.

"And let me guess," Continued Harkness, looking at Posey distrustfully. "She's not expecting you, but you need to see her right away."

"I-" Tried Posey but Harkness cut her off,

"Been a lot of that lately, and I've had just about enough of it. So you're going to have to do better than that."

"Did the part where I said 'She's with me' escape you entirely?" Said Jude angrily. "Come on, Harkness. I've never given you any trouble."

"She isn't you." Said Harkness, glaring at Jude.

"But-"

"I'm looking for my father." Interrupted Posey, her voice calm and clear. "And last I heard he was here, looking for Doctor Li."

"Oh yeah, and who told you that?" Demanded Harkness.

"Three Dog, from Galaxy News. Listen, sir. I'm not here to cause any trouble. All I need is to speak with Doctor Li and find my father."

Harkness looked from Posey to Jude and back again, glowering at the pair of them before finally, lowering his rifle.

"The two of you came from D.C?"

"Yes." Said Posey, her voice steady and gaze unwavering.

"You spoke to Three Dog?"

"I did. And after some, business dealings, he told me my father came here."

"Business, huh?"

"I can be quite the business women, if need be." Said Posey, raising an eyebrow and flashing a knowing little smile.

Jude had to admit, he was rather stunned at this turn. Posey had gone from awkward duckling, toddling along behind him, to a smooth talking and confident dame, despite her worn baseball cap and too big jacket. Now it was he who had to clap his jaw shut.

Harkness considered her for a moment, then holstered his rifle.

"Alright girlie." He said slowly, giving her a once over. "You can find Doctor Li in the Science Lab, just through that door. You listen here though, if I catch wind of any trouble, you're done. Clear?"

"Crystal." Said Posey emphatically, nodding.

"And if she causes any trouble." Said Harkness, shooting a hard look at Jude. "I'm holding you responsible, Colorado."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, Harkness." Said Jude, shaking himself out of his stunned silence.

"Right then. Carry on." He said stiffly, stepping aside and allowing the two of them to pass by him and into the city.

"Where the hell did that come from, Blondie?" Demanded Jude once they were inside the ship. Posey was taking in the cramped, metal hallways with interest, and didn't bother looking at him as she replied,

"I'm not sure. I'm just getting better at telling people what they need to hear I guess."

"Need to hear?"

"Back at the G.N.R. building, before you showed up, I sort of blew up at Three Dog when he asked for my help. If I'd been a little more careful, spoken a little smoother, I might not have had to risk my neck getting that broadcast rely. So, I'm trying to be a little more-"

"Sneaky? Conniving?" Asked Jude, stepping over a mess of hoses and pipes crossing the floor but keeping his gaze trained on her, waiting for her response.

"Calculating." Said Posey giving him a withering look. "Thinking before I speak."

"Is that so?" He said, raising his eyebrows. "I hope you stick to it."

"You and me both." Said Posey, looking away from him and examining the signs bolted onto the metal walls at the end of the hall. Jude's gaze couldn't help but fall on the motorcycle propped against the wall, and he let out a soft sigh as he took in the sleek lines of its aerodynamic frame. Something like that shouldn't be kept in a rusted bucket of bolts like this place, even if it wouldn't ever move again.

"The Science Lab is this way." Said Posey, pointing down to her right and stepping around him to continue down the hall. "Come on," She said, looking at him over her shoulder with raised eyebrows. "Get the lead out, Carolina."

"I don't even know where that is." Complained Jude, following after her. Posey shot him a grin before turning back to the door before her.

"Find me a map of U.S.A and maybe if you ask real nice, I'll show you."

She opened the door before he could respond and disappeared into the Lab. By the time he'd caught up with her, she was already at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes sweeping over the people clustered into little groups in the large room. There were tables around the place, littered with all sorts of beakers and clipboards, and people in lab coats milled about, looking at him in their stuck up, egghead way. Jude scowled, and straightened his leather armor subconsciously. He hated places like this.

"He's not here." Said Posey quietly, a frown tugging on the corners of her lips. "He can't have beat me  _again._ "

"Well, let's find this Li, and ask her if he's still around here somewhere or if she knows where he went." Said Jude, joining her in scanning the room.

"Which one do you suppose is Doctor Li?" Asked Posey, looking about. There was one scientist who looked particularly fed up, her arms crossed and glowering at a man in a suit who seemed to be having a pretty heated argument and two more stood at tables, tabulating and calculating something or other. Jude shook his head.

"Hell if I know, find the bossiest looking one. It's probably her."

"That really doesn't help." Said Posey with a slight frown. She took a deep breath and brushed her jacket down before stepping up to a woman with greying hair, swept back into an elegant bun. The woman was scowling down at a clipboard and looking from it to a table where, to Jude's amazement, fresh vegetables and fruits were resting.

"Excuse me," Said Posey politely, "are you Doctor Li?"

"This is a restricted area," snapped the woman, not looking up from her clipboard, "and I am  _tired_ of telling you people! I-" She looked up and her voice died in her throat upon seeing Posey, standing with her hat in her hands, and blonde hair fuzzy and coming free from its braid.

"It's you.." Said the woman, her voice weak. "My heavens, you... you look so much like him."

Jude stepped forward, standing a few paces behind Posey and folding his arms across his chest and glowering. The sooner this lady spilled on where the old man was, the sooner they could get out of there.

"You're James' daughter, aren't you? What're you  _doing_ here?"

"You know my father?" Said Posey eagerly, all composure immediately lost at the mention of her dad. "Have you seen him? He's not still here is he?"

"Well of course I know your father. Don't you know who I am? I suppose James never mentioned me," The woman snorted. "Typical."

Jude raised an eyebrow. He was no expert, but he sensed some history there, not to mention a fair amount of bitterness. He knew a scorned woman when he saw one.

"I'm Doctor Madison Li." Said the woman primly, smoothing down the front of her labcoat and extending her hand to Posey, who shook it politely saying

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Posey Bennett."

"I remember. I was there when Catherine decided upon that,  _unique_ , name."

Posey frowned slightly and Jude smirked. At least he wasn't the only one who thought it was odd.

" I worked with your father, many years ago." continued Doctor Li. "Your mother too, in fact." Doctor Li's voice was strained and her gaze hard, but she took a shuddering breath and said in a softer voice. "You'll have to forgive me. It's been rather,  _stressful_ around here. What with your father coming back after all this time and that idiot Doctor Zimmer breathing down our necks every chance he gets. You have to understand, Project Purity was a long time ago. Me and my team have put all of it, our work, our notes, anything to do with Project Purity behind us. Even if your father hasn't."

"I need to find him." Said Posey fervently, "Have you seen him?"

"You mean you haven't? I assumed he sent you here. For that matter," Said Doctor Li, narrowing her eyes shrewdly, "Aren't you supposed to be in a Vault? James said he left you in Vault 101."

"I left the Vault, to look for him."

"Did you?" Li raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I was under the impression that's exactly the  _opposite_  of what he wanted for you. Your safety has always been his top concern."

"Well then," Said Posey dryly, "he should be happy I did leave. I was forced out of the Vault by The Overseer. Or, more accurately, smuggled out by his daughter so that The Overseer didn't kill me."

"Dear me," Said Doctor Li cooly, "and here I thought the Wasteland was full of savages."

Jude thought he saw her gaze flit up to him, but it happened so fast it might have been his imagination. Either way, his scowl deepened.

"'Savage' is a pretty relative term," Said Posey, almost coldly. Maybe she'd seen the flit too. "Now, if you'd please Doctor Li, if you have any information as to where my dad is at the moment, I'd be very grateful."

"Your father isn't here any longer, he's come and gone already."

"Do you have any idea where he went?"

Doctor Li let out a sigh and turned back to her clipboard, shaking her head as she looked through the data she'd collected.

"Your father insisted we return to work on Project Purity." She said, flipping a few of the papers on her board up and scanning over the pages underneath. "I tried telling him that too much time has passed; there's no way it could work. Predictably," She said sardonically, "He refused to listen to me. He says he can prove it will work, and headed off to our old lab. I'm sorry, I don't know what else to tell you."

"Well for starters," Said Posey a little irritably "where is this old lab of yours?"

"You probably passed it on your way here actually. It's in the old Jefferson Memorial building, just northwest of here."

Doctor Li finally looked up from her paperwork, her steady gaze fixed on Posey,

"Please don't go after him." She said sincerely. "It was incredibly foolish of him to go there alone."

"Thank you Doctor Li, for the information. I have to go now."

"Miss Bennett, please-"

But Posey had already turned to face him again, and he saw the glint in her eye. Utter defiance and determination and he stepped aside, allowing her to lead the way up and out of the lab. Just when he thought he had this girl figured out...

"Jefferson Memorial building." Said Posey once they were free of the lab and making their way back through the twisting hallways of Rivet City. "That wouldn't happen to be the building with the funny roof surrounded by Super Mutants, would it?"

"That's the only one I can think of." Said Jude, placing a hand on Posey's shoulder and guiding her over to the wall so a security guard could pass. "We'll take it just like we took the Metro. Quick and quiet. You snipe as many as you can. In fact..." He said slowly, glancing around the hallway. "What time is it?"

Posey checked her Pip-Boy. "2:17. Why?"

"We're going to make a quick stop into the Marketplace before we head out. We're going to get a new toy."

"What are you talking about?" Said Posey, frowning slightly, but Jude was already wrenching open the door to the midship and stepping out onto the platform, giving Harkness a nod before turning the handle to the Marketplace.

"We don't have time for any 'toys'." Said Posey irritably, stepping after him. "You saw how many Super Mutants where at that place! If my dad-"

"This isn't going to take long, Blondie." Said Jude, scanning the Marketplace before spotting just what he was looking for and heading off towards it with a smile. "And trust me, this is going to be worth it."

He made a beeline for Flak 'N Shrapnel and called, "Hey, Flak. I've got some caps for you, if you've got me a gun."

"Who do you think you're talking to. Of course I've got you a gun." Said Flak gruffly, looking up from the Assault Rifle he'd been tinkering with and giving Jude a glare.

"Good. Because I need one. I need a sniper rifle. Good condition too, and a decent ammount of ammo."

Flak raised his eyebrows. "Didn't think you were much of a sniper kind of man, with that shotgun of yours." He said, nodding at Jude's Combat Shotgun.

"It's not for me." Said Jude, and Flak's eyes fell on Posey.

"Well," Said Flak with a grin. "you sure know how to treat a lady, Colorado. A Sniper, huh? She's a bit small for a Sniper, ain't she?"

"I handled a Fat Man pretty well in D.C." said Posey, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't suppose a Sniper could be much trouble, after that."

Both Flak and Jude couldn't help but stare, until Flak's lips twisted up in a grudging smile. "Well I'll be damned. Where'd you find this little lady, Colorado? I don't suppose you've got a sister, do you honey?"

"Only child, I'm afraid." Said Posey, not returning his smile.

"Well, I've got one Sniper." Said Flak slowly, "But it's taken me a while to get a hold of it. It's gonna cost you a pretty penny."

"Let's see the Rifle first." Said Jude. He was use to bartering and he knew how long it could potentially take. He also knew Posey wasn't going to be up for a long haggling session. "We've got places to be though, Flak. So let's make it snappy."

As Flak went around to the back of his shop to fetch the Sniper from a locker, Jude turned to Posey and said, "How many caps did you salvage back at the Metro?"

"I'm up to seventy caps." She said, twisting her fingers in the strap of duffel nervously. "How much is a Sniper Rifle going to cost?"

"A lot more than seventy." Said Jude, glancing back at Flak. "But that should be more than enough for ammo, give me thirty of them."

Posey reached into her duffel and began counting out the caps just as Flak said,

"Here you are, Colorado. One Sniper Rifle for one lucky lady. Check it out."

Jude turned and swept his gaze over the Sniper in Flak's hands. It did appear to be in excellent condition, though as Jude knew already, Sniper Rifles were large, and from what he knew of Posey's endurance, not to mention her obvious disadvantage of size, it would be impractical for her to carry around all the time.

"What if I just wanted to borrow it for awhile. I'll pay you a security deposit, and a rental fee. And of course, I'll buy all the ammo myself."

"Of course." Said Flak raising his eyebrows. "Never rented anything out before, I don't know, Colorado. How do I know you won't just take off with it?"

"That's what the deposit is for. I pay you, let's say, three hundred caps? I bring back this Sniper, in the exact condition I take it in, you give me back two fifty. I take off, you keep all my caps and I keep your gun. Simple as that."

Flak thought, scratching his stubbly cheek for a moment while Posey huffed impatiently behind him.

"And we'll take thirty caps worth of ammo, if you please." Said Jude, and Posey dropped her handful of caps on the counter in front of Flak.

"I dunno, three hundred seems a little light for a beauty like this." He said. Posey stiffened beside Jude and said, her voice tight.

"Mr. Flak, we're in a bit of a rush so if you could-"

"Three fifty then. You still give me back two hundred when I return the gun." Interrupted Jude, placing down a pouch of caps on the counter and staring directly at Flak. "One hundred and fifty for a few hours, and I'll bring it back in the condition it leaves in or you keep it all. Final offer."

"Fine." Said Flak, "But this comes back in the  _exact_ condition it leaves or they'll be hell to pay, Colorado."

"Wouldn't doubt it Flak. And besides," He said, flinging the gun over his shoulder. "you know me. I'm a man of my word."

Flak snorted and Jude grinned before turning away and jerking his head towards the Marketplace door. "Moving right along, Blondie. Right on schedule." Jude turned away but still caught Posey's look of exasperation, and for some reason, it put a spring in his step as he pushed his way out into Wasteland.

* * *

"Why did you buy this thing there is no way I can use this!" Posey hissed, eyeing the Sniper Rifle Jude had set up on a surprisingly smooth piece of pavement. It was close enough to the Memorial building, but far enough away that the Mutants still hadn't spotted them.

"You're the one who said you could handle it, Miss 'I nuked a Behemoth with a Fat-Man.'" Whispered Jude furiously. "Now get down here before they spot you!"

Posey laboriously laid down behind the Sniper, her movements as wary as if it were a coiled snake ready to strike.

"Now just take it easy and line up your shots. There's no rush on your first one." Said Jude, keeping his voice low. "You take out the two within range and then we'll run up and take out the next two from the top of the railing. You took out those ghouls in D.C. no problem. This isn't that different. This'll be easy as pie."

"How would you know if making pie is easy?" Demanded Posey, squinting one eye shut and leaning into the scope of the rifle.

"Hell Blondie, I don't even know what pie  _is_ it's just a thing that people say now would you  _please_  just take the shot?"

Before he had even finished his sentence, there was a short blast, followed almost immediately by a second bang and two Mutants dropped. Jude gaped, open mouthed at the fallen Mutants, then back to Posey, a grin slowly forming on his face.

"Well I'll be damned Blondie, you've got eyes like a hawke in the dark!"

"I don't think that's a good thing." She said with a slight frown but Jude was already getting to his feet and skulking up the ramp of the building, motioning for her to follow. She did so, and this time, set up the rifle on her own and without any direction from him, downed the remaining Mutants before they could even lift their guns in response.

"Holy  _shit_ , Blondie!" Crowed Jude, looking down at her with an almost manic grin. "You've been holding out on me! This was the easiest raid I've ever been on!"

Posey blushed and but looked pleased, shyly pulling her borrowed cap more snuggly down onto her head to busy her hands.

"The scope makes a difference." She said, getting to her feet while Jude followed suit. "It's really not all that much skill involved."

"If you say so." Said Jude, leading the way across the ramp and stooping down to search the Super Mutant for ammo "What did you DO in that Vault all day?"

"Well, when you're a kid you go to school, until you're sixteen and you take the General Occupation Aptitude Test and they assign you a career based off that." Said Posey, shifting the awkwardly long and heavy sniper against her shoulder and following after him. "You train for that job until you're eighteen and then you start working, basically full time after you graduate."

"So you had a job down there." Said Jude, straightening up and looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, everyone did." Said Posey with a slight frown. "It was a big part of Vault protocal.'Happy work is Hard work'. That sort of a thing."

"What did you do?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. "Were you a doc, like your dad? Something smart I'm sure." For some reason, the idea of her having a job both amused and intrigued him. What could she have done? A doll like her who could stitch up a wound and take hundred yard head shots down in a Vault?

Posey blushed and looked away, stepping past him and continuing down the ramp at a quick pace. "It's not important what I did down there. That was a long time ago."

"That was like two weeks ago, Blondie."

"Yeah well it might as well have been two years. It doesn't matter any more."

"Why the sudden rush? You were bursting at the seams with Vault knowledge just a second ago."

"I said it's not important." She repeated, frowning up at him. "Besides, you'll only laugh at me."

"What if I promise not to?" Asked Jude, grinning down at her. This was something new. She really was bothered about this, her cheeks pink, and lips turned down in a frown. Jude had never considered himself a tease before but he couldn't help himself.

"You'll still laugh."

"Nah, you heard what I told Flak. I'm a man of my word, Blondie! Come on. What did you do?"

She sighed and stopped walking, turning to face him at the end of the metal walk way with her arms folded across her chest.

"If you laugh, I'll hit you. I swear I will." She threatened, scowling at him. Jude smirked and raised two fingers.

"Scouts honor, I won't laugh. Promise."

"You're not a boy scout."

"How would you know? Cross my heart and hope to die, I won't laugh."

Posey looked up at him, before letting out a sigh and dropping her arms in defeat. "I was the Vault's...marriage counselor."She muttered.

Jude stared at her, eyebrows raised and mouth hanging open, before letting out a loud and completely unintentional guffaw.

"You promised you wouldn't laugh!" Said Posey angrily, swatting him in the arm.

"I-I'm sorry," He said, covering his mouth to hold back a chuckle. "it's just... A  _marriage counselor?_ Really! You?!"

"Yes, me." Said Posey shortly, glowering up at him. "Why's that so hard to believe?"

"Nothing, just...you don't seem exactly experienced in that field." He said, lips twitching in an effort to hold back a smile.

"What's that suppose to mean!"

"It means you're nineteen and from what I gather, clearly unmarried. What a worthless position, anyway. With your aim they should have had you on guard duty."

"Don't try and flatter me and make me forget I'm mad at you _._ " Said Posey, holding up a threatening finger. "A man is only as good as his word, Mr. Colorado and you," She prodded him hard in the chest. "have gone back on yours!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He said pushing away her hand with a smile. "It just caught me unawares is all. I'm done laughing. Promise."

"You better be." Said Posey warningly, stomping over to a doorway with a rusted metal sign that read 'GIFT SHOP' and placing her hand on the handle.

"One last question." Said Jude, unable to keep the smirk on his face.

"Again with the unfair questioning!" She cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "This is going to be a serious problem, if you don't ease up." She growled, turning to face him with a frown.

"It's an innocent one, I swear." He replied, grinning down at her. "Where did a  _marriage counselor,_ learn to shoot like that?"

Posey let out a sigh, and leaned back against the door, folding her arms again and looking up at him with a scowl. "You realize I now have two questions in my question bank that I can spend at any time."

"Noted." Said Jude, leaning next to her, with his shoulder propped up on the wall. Posey sighed, as if already regretting answering his question but continued:

"Well, when it came to free time, we didn't have  _a lot_  of extracurricular stuff around but we made due with what we had. There was a baseball team, I had quite a few books and we hosted dances every so often, and for my tenth birthday, my dad built me a shooting range down on the reactor floor, and gave me a BB gun to use and..Jude?"

Jude, who had been listening with a slight smile on his face had stumbled suddenly, eyes wide at this new bit of information and his shoulder sliding down off the rough brick. He stared down at Posey and unbidden, an image he'd been repressing for years flashed before his eyes.

_Bright white sheets, flapping in the breeze, splattered scarlet._

"Jude? Are you okay? You're white as a sheet."

Jude flinched and shook his head, and thankfully when he opened his eyes all he could see was Posey, looking up at him, worry etched into every line of her face. Worried about him. Worried  _for_ him. How long had it been since someone had worried about him?

"I'm fine." He said mechanically. "It's just..."

Did he dare tell her? Unbidden, the words rose to his lips before he could stop them. "My dad got me a BB gun, too. Tenth birthday, even." He said, his voice hollow. He took an ungainly step forward and seized the door handle. He shook his head, trying desperately to clear it. The euphoria at the easy approach, the mirth from teasing Posey had died, replaced by a dizzying peak of something not unlike panic building between his ears.

"Really?" She asked quietly, and he looked down at her, his hand clenching the door knob to prevent his hand from shaking. There was that look again, deep in those improbably blue eyes. Concern. Worry.

He couldn't decide if he liked the slight twitch in his chest as she looked at him, or despised it.

"Yeah." He said, clearing his throat and tearing his gaze away from hers and looking down at the handle in his vice like grip. "Yeah. I hated the damn thing." He ran his thumb over the curve of the knob, following a line of tarnish and trying desperately to keep himself steady. Posey's hand hesitantly covered his on the knob and he resisted the urge to jerk back. He didn't look at her though, as she turned the handle and pushed the door open, dank, cool air washing over the pair of them and making goosebumps rise on his flesh as they both dropped their hands, staring down into the musty darkness.

"Well," She said quietly, looking up at him as he hesitantly met her gaze. Thankfully, her look of concern had faded, and a different sort of spark jumped in her eye. "Shall we?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and shooting up an almost mischievous grin.

Jude decided suddenly that maybe that slight twitch wasn't so bad after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this chapter has gone through some serious troubles as you can probably tell. Frankly it almost killed me. It got deleted several times (I cried the third time, I'm not ashamed to admit), scrapped once and cursed at often. So you guys are just lucky it's out! Because this one for some reason wasn't easy! It's just I've got so much interesting stuff planned and written out and I can't wait to get to it but I have to actually, you know, get there... but get there we shall! I promise!
> 
> As always, Thank you so much for reading and please review! And if you've got a suggestion for a song for this chapter please PLEASE let me know! I fixed it but tell me if you think it fits? It's The Fire and The Flood by Vance Joy. I just wanted to get it out and I didn't really think about the song much. As always song suggestions are always appreciated!
> 
> Farewell lovlies!


	9. We're On Our Way

**Chapter Nine**

**"We're On Our Way"**

**Show your hands**   
**If you need a new coat of paint**   
**If your bones are now heavy things**   
**Like anchors hidden somewhere 'neath your skin**

**Or if your head's just an empty box**   
**If your heart has become spare parts**   
**If your days are now just something you must bear**

**Well, oh, it seems you're a lot like me**   
**You dug yourself into places**   
**You never thought you would be**   
**But don't you fret, and don't you mind**   
**The only constant is change**   
**And you never know what you'll find**

**Yeah, tomorrow I might wake up nice and clean**   
**And I might believe the things I said I didn't mean**   
**And this might turn and wind up just the way we'd dreamed**   
**And I might become the things I swore I'd always be**

**Well, we're always on our way**   
**We're on our way**

* * *

Posey

The Jefferson Memorial building was cool and dark, and Posey couldn't decide if that was pleasant or cloying. The dank hallway stretched on ahead of her, branching left and right as well as continuing for a few more feet before ending abruptly amidst a small pile of rubble. A single electric light flickered halfheartedly, sending its dusty beam down to the grimy floor, and illuminating a single Super Mutant, who stood looking almost bored, at the junction where the hallways branched. Jude nodded at her and Posey raised her Hunting Rifle (Flak's Sniper was stashed next to the door and was to be retrieved on their return trip) and with two quick shots, the Mutant fell. They waited until they were sure no more Super Mutants were coming after them before carrying on.

As they crept along, Posey couldn't help but glance at Jude out of the corner of her eye and wonder what had shaken him so badly outside of the building. Jude had always seemed so solid, both in physicality and personality. He'd mowed down ghouls, mutants and raiders without batting an eye. He'd seemed unshakable. So what was it about BB guns and tenth birthdays that were so traumatic for him? Just when she thought he couldn't get any more perplexing, she'd uncover some other clue to his mysterious past.

They reached the junction where the Mutant had been standing and Jude had just started to search it for ammo when there was a sudden crack of gunfire. Both Jude and Posey jumped and tore for cover along the wall, Jude swearing and scowling all the while.

"Those sons of bitches have a  _turret_  in here?" He growled, peering around the wall and quickly drawing back as volley of gunfire sounded.

"What's a turret?" Asked Posey, feeling her heart pound in her chest. Her ear ached with each beat of her frantic heart.

"It's a gun, mounted on the ceiling and it can be programmed to shoot things on sight. Pre-War tech. I don't know how the Super Mutants have the brains to use them. Then again," he peered around the corner again. "it looks like it's shooting at them too. Maybe your old man programmed it when he was here, to keep his research safe."

Posey pulled him back just as there was a sharp crack of gunfire and a cloud of plaster from the wall behind them settled over the pair of them.

"But it sure as hell don't like me." Said Jude, brushing his hair forward and trying to rid it of the powdery white dust. "Let me see your rifle."

She handed it over and Jude waited before darting around the corner and firing rapidly at the turret, which shortly after exploded and Jude rolled hastily back to Posey and cover, waiting for the dust to settle.

"Did you see any Mutants in there?" Asked Posey anxiously, taking her rifle back as Jude coughed at the sudden addition of pulverized plaster to the air.

"Nah, the Turret took it out. But there's a bunch of Egghead gadgets and a sandbag barrier in there, so I'd definitely say we're in the right place."

"Are you good to keep going?" She asked, watching as Jude wiped his streaming eyes.

"Of course I'm good." He snapped, shaking plaster out of his hair. It stood out vividly against the nearly black strands and made him look about thirty years older. "Let's keep moving."

The memorial building, similar to the Museum of Technology, still bore remnants of its former glory, although the memorial seemed to have suffered even more degradation than the Museum. There was far more rubble, and much more grime and the place was dimly lit, causing the hair on the back of Posey's neck to rise. Anything could come at them, lurking just beyond the reach of the flickering lights.

As the two of them entered into a room with multiple marble pillars, Posey glanced around, taking in the obvious evidence of her father's old lab. 'Egghead gadgets' as Jude put it, consisting mostly of beakers and other glassware long since abandoned and emptied, were littered everywhere, and there was even a coffee mug, resting on top of a now empty clipboard. The coffee inside had evaporated over the last decade or so but had stained the sides of the mug and Posey couldn't help but wonder if perhaps that mug had been her father's, or maybe even her mother's. She reached out and brushed its handle with her finger just as Jude placed his hand on her shoulder, looking left and right with narrowed eyes. She paused as well, and slowly the guttural voices of Super Mutants floated across the stale air towards them, coming from a dark hallway off to their left. Just as Posey raised her gun, the pair of Mutants rounded the corner, and spotting them, catapulted themselves towards Jude and Posey, Sledgehammers raised and gravelly voices roaring out challenges at the two of them.

Both Jude and Posey started firing but the Mutants were on them quicker than they had bargained for, and Jude narrowly avoided having his skull caved in by ducking around one of the many pillars in the room while Posey fired at the Mutant responsible, the rapid crack of her Assault Rifle echoing deafeningly through the small chamber as he eventually crumpled, as did his companion. Another victim of the destructive force behind Jude's shotgun.

All threats having been momentarily neutralized, Posey turned to face Jude, panting and feeling rather weak in the knees as she always did after a fight. Jude raised an eyebrow and rested his shotgun in the crook of his elbow, almost lazily opening the chamber and proceeding to reload the weapon.

"Well, two greenies down, who the hell knows how many to go. Any idea where to next, Blondie?"

Posey shook her head, propping her rifle against her shoulder, the barrel still warm from her shots, its heat emanating out, uncomfortably present near her still sore ear.

"Your guess is good as mine at this point. I don't-

She cut off with cry as something struck her hard on the back causing her to stumble and she felt another something, wrap around her calf, and yank her to the ground. The wind was instantly knocked out of her as her torso struck the ground and her gun went skittering across the cracked tile.

"Posey!" Cried Jude, and she heard a scattering of his bullet casings on the floor in his haste to prep his gun for firing. Terror flooded her as whatever it was that had her began to drag her backwards, out of the murky half light and she struggled to get out of its grip, whatever  _it_ was. Her fingers scrabbled at the tile, struggling to find purchase as she kicked and writhed. Her fingers slid over a grainy patch dirt and she saw a distinctive tread of Vault-Tec issued boots angling towards a door with a sign pointing to it that read 'ROTUNDA'. Posey finally managing to roll over onto her back and she let out a horrified scream in spite of herself. A awful, disfigured  _something_  with a misshapen, vaguely humanoid face, atop a mass of deformed flesh, writhing with thick, tentacle like tongues was slowly shuffling backwards, on a multitude of human  _arms._ One of its awful appendages was wrapped around her calf, soaking her vault suits leg in drool that was causing her geiger counter to tick like crazy.

There was a thunderous  _crack_ and the creature recoiled, its tongue thrashing around but mercifully releasing her ankle and she scrambled back on all fours, reigning in sobs as Jude fired his shotgun again, and the creature fell back, its awful mass twitching and felt Jude's hands roughly pull her upwards and unconsciously, Posey threw her arms around him, hiding her face in his chest and shuddering, too traumatized to even cry.

"Hey," He said, sounding surprised, and perhaps, a little awkward, "what're you-"

But Posey just hugged him tighter, her arms around his torso, her cheek pressed flat against his leather armor which in truth smelled terrible, but she didn't care. She simply scrunched her eyes shut and tucked her chin into her chest, letting out a shuddering little sob despite her best efforts to keep them at bay.

Slowly, hesitantly, she felt Jude's arms settle around her trembling frame, and he said quietly. "You're alright. It was just a centaur. They look scary but there's really nothing to them. Although I don't think I've ever seen them grab someone like that before."

She didn't say anything, just screwed up her eyes tighter and hunched her shoulders, trembling in spite of herself. Jude shifted his arms so he was holding her a little more comfortably, closer than he had before. He was warm and solid under his stiff armor, and she could hear his steady heart beating under her throbbing ear.

"You're okay," He repeated softly. "I got it. We're good." She felt his uncertain hand on her head, and almost it seemed as an afterthought, gave her hair one quick stroke. Posey finally released him, stepping back and looking up at him, stuttering out

"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry, I-I didn't mean-"

"It's okay." Said Jude, reaching down and picking up his shotgun, which he'd dropped in his haste to pull her away from the centaur. "We better get a move on. There's bound to be more in here. Centaurs are usually found where there's lots of Super Mutants."

Posey shuddered but bent down and picked up her own weapon, checking it over for any visible damage.

"What are we gonna do about that." Said Jude, looking distastefully at the leg of her suit, which now was soaked in radioactive slime.

"I-I-I don't know, but-"

Jude crouched down beside her, pulling a rather large and threatening looking knife from the back of his belt, and quickly, careful not to touch the saliva, cut off the affected portion, which left Posey's left leg exposed from the knee down. Jude threw aside the soaked fabric with a look of disgust and straightened up, sliding his knife back into its sheath on his belt.

"There." He said, looking down at her leg then up at Posey with a grim smile. "Now you've got some ventilation in that suit of yours as well."

"Thanks," Said Posey, looking down at her now uneven trousers.

"No problem. Now, where to?"

"I think he went to the Rotunda." Said Posey shaikly, straightening up and looking at Jude with what she hoped was a steady gaze, though she was sure it was far from it. "When I uh, fell-"

"You mean when you were yanked viciously to the ground?"

Posey winced. It was true, her torso did feel sore.

"Yeah, then. I thought I saw a boot print, a Vault-Tec boot. It looked like it was leading into the Rotunda."

"Alright, lead the way." He said, and Posey nodded before stepping forward on shaking legs towards the door.

Jude stopped her before she could open the door though and said,

"Actually on second thought, Blondie. Let me take this one."

"What?" She looked up at Jude, her hand still on the door knob.

"Just let me take this one, I'll yell for you if I can't handle it, but, just let me do it."

"Jude, I'm fine." She said impatiently. "I can go in there and help you. I'm  _fine._ "

"That Centaur really shook you up, I just-"

"What? You don't think I can handle Super Mutants anymore?" She demanded, glowering up at him. She could feel the beginnings of anger prickling in her stomach, making her curl her toes in her boots and clench her fists. She instantly regretted the hug moments before.

"No it's not that. I just-"

"It was just a scare! I'm fine!"

"Blondie-"

"That's not my name!" She snapped, "And you don't get to tell me where I can and cannot go! So I was scared! Big deal! It doesn't mean I can't go in there and kick Super Mutant ass just as well as you! I-"

"Your dad might be dead in there, Posey."

Posey jerked back as though he'd struck her. Her mouth hung open, her eyes were wide and her hands were limp at her sides as she stared up at him, her anger replaced by a dread so all consuming it almost knocked her off her feet.

"There are so many Mutants here," He said, never taking his eyes off her. "I don't know how he slipped past them all, but if he didn't... It would be better for me to see first, just to make sure. Okay?"

She nodded, not daring to speak and she drew back away from the door, slinging her Assault Rifle over her shoulder and shoving her shaking hands into her jacket pockets. She couldn't decide if she wanted to hug Jude again, or give him a good slap for bringing up the apprehension she'd been feeling about her father ever since she'd left the Vault. She settled for leaning back against the wall near the door and refusing to look at him at all.

"I'll be quick." He promised, and she heard the door open and close behind him and she slid down the wall, hiding her face in her hands.

The thought that her father's corpse might reside on the other side of that wall sent her shivering and shaking just as badly as when she'd been released by the Centaur. Her mind reeled, and as she heard the now familiar noises of combat from the rotunda, she had to bite her lip to hold back the sobs. If he was gone, if her father was  _gone_...She had no idea what she would do. She had no marketable skills, out here in The Wastes. She highly doubted anyone in Megaton or Rivet City would be willing to pay for a  _marriage counselor_. Did people even get married anymore? Jude had been enormously generous but he'd said it himself, everyone out here was a selfish bastard, and even he was only sticking around until they found her father. Dead or alive.

The Rotunda quieted, and Posey raised her head, waiting and listening. Jude hadn't called for her, but perhaps that was because he himself had been killed before he'd had the chance. Posey got to her feet, resolve quelling her panic and fear as she pushed the door open. Waiting be damned, she'd had enough of waiting. It seemed like her whole life had been spent waiting and she'd had enough of it. Her father  _wasn't_  dead, and neither was Jude and she was going to march in there and  _show him who was boss._  And it certainly wasn't going to be him.

She strode into the room, the grip on the strap of her rifle so tight she could once again feel the stinging in her palms as her nails bit into the still healing flesh. She could hear the gentle lapping of water as she progressed forward and the air was heavier here, muggier, and stepped onto a metal catwalk, looking around carefully, before turning and-

Crashing headlong into Jude.

Posey lept back, her heart pounding in her chest as Jude stumbled and hurriedly bit off a swear word.

"I told you to wait for me outside!" He hissed, righting himself and glaring down at her.

"Is he here?" She asked, unable to help herself. "My dad? Is he.."

She bit her lip, unable to continue as Jude looked down at her with an unreadable expression, his face softening slightly as he said,

"No. No he's not here."

Posey let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding and her shoulders sagged with the weight of it.

"I found some of these though." He said, holding up three holotapes. "They were up there." He pointed up a short metal walkway leading towards some kind of chamber, the catwalk enclosed by steel and glass.

Posey took them and felt her heart beat pick up as she looked down at the now grubby masking tape labels that read in a very familiar handwriting:

_Project Purity Personal Journal-J.B_

They were numbered: five, eight and ten. Posey traced the initials  _J.B._ with the tip of her finger, and asked:

"Can we listen to them here or are there more Mutants?"

"We can stay here for a bit." Said Jude, shifting his shotgun in his grip and walking over to take a seat on a set of metal stairs leading up to the second level catwalk. Posey joined him, sliding the holotape numbered as five into her Pip-Boy before settling down on the cold metal as her Pip-Boy's scratchy speakers carried her dad's voice through the air:

_Even in Vault 101, my work on Project Purity never really stopped. Soon after we arrived, my nightly routine included sneaking into the restricted areas._

"And he got mad at  _me_ for wanting to be an explorer!" Said Posey indignantly, but Jude shushed her, listening to the recorded message with a slight frown she was coming to know as his 'thinking face'.

_Searching for, I don't know, whatever I could find. It was a Vault-Tec facility after all. The place was built with some of the most advanced technology this country had ever developed. Those excursions never turned up anything particularly useful. So one night, after half a bottle of scotch, I broke into the Overseer's office. It was easy enough to hack his console, gain access to the restricted files. Most of it was garbage: propaganda, spy reports, just plain rambling bullshit, really. But there was one thing, one name that stood out amongst all the others... Dr. Stanislaus Braun. I knew of Braun's work, of course. He was a celebrity in his day. Vault-Tec's sorcerer-scientist, leaving his peers in awe of his technological wizardry. But it was in Vault 101 that night in the Overseer's office, that I first learned of Braun's involvement in Vault-Tec's social preservation program, and his work on something called GECK, Garden of Eden Creation Kit._

"Your dad was a bit of a rebel." Commented Jude as Posey downloaded the tape with a slight scowl before ejecting it.

"Clearly," She said grumpily, "and he chewed me out for wanting to see outside the Vault! He broke into the Overseer's office! I don't know if I should be impressed or upset."

"You can work out that later, let's listen to the next one." Said Jude, and Posey obligingly put the next tape, number eight, in her Pip-Boy.

_To be honest, the GECK sounded like pure fantasy, even for someone of Braun's capabilities. It was nothing short of a miracle. A terra-forming module, capable of producing life from complete lifelessness._

Posey looked up at Jude, astonished, to see him looking down at her Pip-Boy with raised eyebrows.

"Now that's what I call egghead magic." Said Jude appreciatively and Posey felt her lips twitched up in a smile.

_But not only was this thing a reality, it was actually distributed to several vaults to be used after an atomic war. Vault 101 was, sadly, not on that list. I did some digging and discovered Braun's name on the reservation list for a Vault 112. I'm no slouch, but this man, he could have easily succeeded where I failed. Does his collected knowledge remain within the halls of Vault 112? Journals, holotapes, computer records, maybe even experiments? If I could gain access to just a fraction of Braun's genius, Project Purity would become a reality._

Posey wasted no time in inserting the next tape, and Jude leaned forward as her father's voice crackled out of her speaker,

_I'm off to Vault 112 to search for anything of Braun's that might help me get this purifier up and running. All I know is that it's West of some place called "Evergreen Mills," and it's well hidden in some sort of garage. But I'll find it, I have to. It's so close, but that's the story of Project Purity, isn't it? An eternity of "almost there's". Let's see if Braun has the missing puzzle piece._

"Evergreen Mills." Said Jude, looking up at her. "I know where that is. I hope your old man took the long way around."

"Why?" Asked Posey, curling her fingers tight around the edge of the stair and feeling her heart clench.

"Because it's a huge Raider compound." Said Jude, leaning back against the stair above them and stretching out his legs in front of him. He brought his gun around to rest on his lap and began his usual check up on it while saying: "You and I will most definitely be giving that place a WIDE berth."

Posey looked down at the three holotapes in her hands. Before she'd left the Vault, she'd honestly thought her hands were one of her better features. Amata had always said they looked graceful, with long thin fingers and naturally nicely shaped nails. Her father had told her they looked like her mother's hands, one of the few things she'd inherited from her as far as looks went. Now, they were caked with dirt, hang nails peeling off all over the place, and her right knuckles mottled with yellowing bruises from when she'd punched that Vault guard and fractured her knuckles.

Graceful. Right.

"Do you think there are more of these tapes around here?" Asked Posey, tracing the initials  _J.B._ with the tip of her finger. "These are just five, eight and ten. So there's got to be more. Right?"

"I guess so." Said Jude, not looking up from his gun maintenance. "There weren't any more up there, but we could poke around if you want. There might be more Super Mutants though."

Posey considered it for a moment, absently turning tape number five over in her hands. They had all the information they needed, but hearing her father's voice would be wonderful, and she had to admit she was curious. She wanted to know more about Project Purity. But was it worth the risk? She was exhausted not to mention starving. Jude looked marginally better than she did, but even his shoulders were stooped and his movements a little sluggish.

"No, it's not worth it." Said Posey, putting the holotapes into her bag. "We should head back to Rivet City. How far is this garage then?"

"If it's past Evergreen Mills, it's a long ways away. It's gonna take us a couple of days to get there."

Posey groaned and got to her feet, feeling her muscles in her calves and lower back pull uncomfortably. She had a blister forming on her heel and the prospect of a two day trek was definitely an unwelcome thought.

"We'll spend the night in Rivet City." Said Jude, getting to his feet after a final check up on his shotgun and shrugging into his pack, looking down at her with a thoughtful frown creasing his face. "We'll do a supply run there, maybe sell some of the stuff we've picked up, and set off as quick as we can."

"Alright." Said Posey wearily, hauling her duffel bag up onto her shoulder with a wince. The strap was chaffing the side of her neck and digging into her shoulder more and more each time she picked the damn thing up. "Let's go, how much will a room be to rent at Rivet City?"

"Depends. There's a commons area, but I always lose stuff when I stay there. We should be able to rent a place for cheap between the two of us."

He seemed quieter than before, almost taciturn, vastly different than when they'd first arrived and he'd been almost, dare she say, friendly. He'd teased her, laughed and smiled and it was such a stark difference from the Jude she'd first met in Megaton. Now he seemed different from either form, and the walk back to Rivet City was as quiet, as the sun had started it's descent and Jude kept his eyes trained on the path ahead of them. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, taking in his clenched jaw and the lines around his eyes. They were much more prevalent than they had been that morning. She was sure it had to do with the BB gun story and this time, she had no intention of pressing the issue.

The early evening sun shone murkily down on them as they approached the city and Posey chanced another glance as Jude shifted the Sniper Rifle he insisted he carry back with a sigh. Jude's looks were the first thing she'd noticed when she laid eyes on him, back in Megaton. She'd thought him something remarkable, flawless and and completely out of place in the Wasteland. But the more she looked at him, the more she realized that his face wasn't as perfect as she'd first believed. It wasn't symmetrical, persay. His forehead protruded slightly right at his eyebrows, which she'd never noticed before, his nose veered a little to the right, and he had freckles on his  _ears_. Not that there was anything wrong with his freckles, or his ears. His square jaw was made even more so by the way he was clenching it and Posey felt her own jaw ache in sympathy.

Jude, stand offish and cut from marble was undeniably good looking, but Jude, laughing and smiling was on an entirely different plane. His cheekbones rounded out when he smiled, his eyes brightened and his crow's feet became much more obvious but in the best kind of way. His jaw softened slightly, his chin morphing into his neck, and when he laughed, his nose crinkled and his shoulders shook as if the rest of his body couldn't wait to get in on the joke. In short, he was beautiful and Posey wanted to see him like that all the time.

Looking at him now though, as he wrenched the door open for the marketplace and strode inside, it was difficult to believe he was even the same person that had escorted her to the memorial. She hurried to keep up as Jude approached Flak and thrust the Sniper at him, clearly in no mood to bargain anymore. Perhaps Flak sensed that, because the transaction was much shorter than their first. Wordlessly, Jude pocketed his deposit caps and turned on his heel, striding out of the Marketplace and Posey hurried to keep up as Jude navigated the twists and turns of Rivet City with ease, despite his clouded face and scowl. He stopped in front of a desk in a relatively large area of the ship and said to the woman behind the counter.

"Vera, I'd like a room please."

The woman, in her late twenties Posey guessed and very pretty, turned to face Colorado with a smile.

"Evening Colorado, the usual room? It's empty and I just washed the sheets in that room."

Her eyes landed on Posey, who finally caught up to Jude and her smile faded slightly.

"Oh," She said, forcing her smile back on, "are you two together?" She asked.

"Yes," Said Posey, anxiously reaching for her measly forty caps. "Do you have any rooms with two beds?"

"Two?" Said the woman, and her smile slowly became a little less forced. "I think so, let me check."

She went over to a terminal and Posey asked under her breath,

"How much will this be?"

"Not much." Said Jude, still avoiding her gaze. "Vera always gives me a discount."

"Probably because she thinks you're handsome."

"What?" Spluttered Jude, finally looking down at Posey, who felt a slow smile creep up onto her face at his discomfort.

"Are you  _blushing_ , Colorado?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking up at him.

"No!" Said Jude, hastily looking away and scrubbing the back of his neck with his hand, but she saw a distinct pinkish flush creep up his neck, and highlight the tips of his ears and nose. Posey laughed in delight and Jude scowled,

"She's very pretty, Jude." Taunted Posey, smiling widely at her chance to rib him instead of the other way around. "Maybe you should ask her out sometime, see how far you can stretch that discount."

"I..That's-" Jude was definitely flustered. "She doesn't." He finished, looking anywhere but at Posey  _or_ Vera, who came back to them with another smile.

"We do have a room with two bunks. So that'll be eighty five caps for the night. Is that all you'll need?" She asked kindly, though looking a little confused by Jude's sudden interest in the floor.

"It is, thank you." Said Posey smiling as she put down her forty caps and elbowed Jude, who fumbled to do the same.

"Have a good night." Said Vera, handing Posey the key and frowning as Jude surged past her and stumbled back towards the room.

"He's just..really tired." Said Posey, suppressing a grin and Vera nodded, though she looked a little lost. "Thank you for the room."

She followed after Jude, and couldn't help the smirk that came to her lips as she unlocked the door for a still blushing Jude and stepped inside after him.

"She doesn't just give me a discount because she thinks I'm  _handsome_." Said Jude stubbornly, tossing his pack onto the floor next to a bunk riveted into the metal wall. "I've given her good business, is all."

"Whatever you say," Said Posey in a sing song voice, dropping her duffle onto the other bunk and propping her rifle up next to her bed. "you seem to give Flak a lot of good business and he certainly wasn't giving you any discounts."

"That's because Flak is Flak, he's a crotchety old bastard." Said Jude, sitting down on his bunk and rifling through his pack, pulling out a handful of clothes and a small packet of pills, which he popped open and swallowed two.

"Are you okay?" Asked Posey, her smile fading slightly as he got to his feet, "What medicine was that?"

"Rad-X." He said, his hand on the doorknob. "The showers in Rivet City are slightly,  _slightly_  better than the ones in Megaton. At least I'll have my own stall."

"You have to take Rad-X before you can shower?" Said Posey in disbelief. Jude shrugged, and tossed her the remaining two pills, still in the package.

"Better safe than sorry. You'll still have to be pretty speedy."

Posey watched him go and looked down at the pills in her hand, marveling at how difficult life was out here in the Wastes. Something as simple as a shower, (which sounded absolutely heavenly) required meds, and for Jude and Posey's case, some serious travel time. What would it have been like to grow up out here? She couldn't even begin to imagine.

She took the hat that Jude had lent her off and turned it over in her hands, looking at the faded red material with a slight frown. Why did Jude have this, when it was clearly too small for him? He'd lectured her about unnecessary weight before, and not that a baseball cap would weigh much but still...She turned it around, examining it for any sort of hint as to why he would have kept it when she found, on the back of the hat, near the bottom, two embroidered letters.  _A.H._ Initials perhaps? The H could have stood for Hiller, but what about the A? And what about BB guns sent Jude into such a tizzy?

Posey had always been curious. It was just part of who she was. This particular mystery, the mystery that was Jude Hiller was unlike anything she'd ever encountered. And yet...

She didn't want to dig. His face, back at the memorial. The way his smile had froze, and his eyes... No. Whatever it was was too painful, and she didn't even  _know_ Jude, really and had no right to try and delve into his past, no matter how intriguing it was. Besides, it was as he'd said. He was with her until they found her dad, and no longer than that. No point in getting in too deep with him. Not that she thought Jude would allow that to happen. She got to her feet, grabbing fresh clothes and her toiletries bag and headed out, pausing to ask Vera directions before heading off to the bathrooms.

As she waited for the shower water to become a little less freezing, Posey thought of her dad, out in the wasteland, by himself, and felt her stomach clench. Her father, gentle, kind and loving father, battling his way through raiders and Super Mutants and who knew what else. Did he even know  _how_ to shoot a gun? How on earth was he making it out there? Was he hurt? Did he have anyone out here in the wastes to help? Anyone who cared if he were injured besides herself?

Anxiety crept into her heart, tying her insides in knots as she plunged into the cold water and began hurriedly washing herself, shivering under the steady icy stream. Thankfully, the cold water did stem the stomach curdling worry as she scrubbed at her arms and especially her hands and under her fingernails, and worked through the many tangles in her hair in her attempt to wash it. She could hear the murmur of other Rivet City residents as she shut off the water and stood, shaking with cold in the stall, trying to shake off as much excess water as she could without a towel handy, wringing her waist length hair out and listening to the snippets of conversation she could hear. People talked of other residents, of food prices at the galley, the security regime and other surprisingly normal things. People, it turned out, were still people, even after a nuclear Armageddon. They still had the same concerns, food, water, shelter and even love in some cases. The human condition hadn't changed as much as the people down in the vault would have her believe.

She slid on her last clean Vault suit, zipping it up and pulling the sleeves down over her cold fingers as she stepped out of the bathroom, her hair dripping onto the floor and hanging in wet tangles down her back. The guards leaning against the wall paused in their conversation as she passed, eyeing her distrustfully. She simply nodded to them and carried on down the corridor, heading for The Weatherly Hotel.

Jude was still gone as she let herself into the room, and sat down on her bunk, reveling in the feeling of being clean. Five days. That's how long she'd been out of the Vault. Five days. Not even a full week yet, and it felt like years. She started brushing out her tangles and thought about the Vault, wondering how Amata was doing. She hoped her father hadn't hurt her for helping Posey out. She'd never considered that, and her grip on her brush tightened. Surely, he wouldn't take it out on Amata. All he cared about was that Posey and her father were gone, and no longer a threat to his cozy little kingdom. Right?

Her stomach churned and she braided her hair back with shaking fingers. She'd never considered how leaving would affect anyone else. The Overseer might be a control freak but he wouldn't hurt anyone, would he?

_Except Jonas..._

Posey closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Five days out of the Vault and on how many of them had she cried? Probably five. She wasn't exactly keeping track.

The door opened and Posey hastily wiped her eyes, looking up to see Jude, wearing a navy blue tee shirt tucked into a pair of pants that seemed a bit too big, cinched tight with a worn leather belt. He sat down heavily on his own bunk and ran his fingers through his still damp hair and let out a sigh. He'd shaved as well, his scruff replaced by hints of razor burn on his cheeks. He didn't look up at her, just stared down at his boots, and didn't say a word. Posey waited, but as the silence stretched on, she reached down to her bag and pulled out  _Duck and Cover, The Extended Edition_ , and started flipping through the pages, looking for the model of the bomb in Megaton. Once she found the right page, she started reading, settling back on the mattress and letting the words wash over her, bring her back into the familiar and comfortable plane that reading had always whisked her away too, no matter what book she had in her hands. She let herself sink into the jargon and pace of the book, absorbing all the information she could but paused as she at last heard Jude's voice, low and almost gravelly ask: "Why even bother disarming the bomb? What's Megaton to you?"

She looked up at him, feeling a little dazed, as she always was when interrupted while reading. She blinked and Jude came into clearer focus, sitting on his bunk with his hands clasped in front of him, elbows resting on the worn knees of his jeans. His hair was beginning to dry, and she noticed for the first time that it had some natural wave to it.

"Once again, why do you get to ask all the questions?" She asked, sitting up a little and brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. She hoped that this question meant he was coming out of the mood he'd been in, and wondered if she was pushing her luck with her banter.

"Because I'm the one helping you and doing you a favor, that's why." Said Jude, finally settling back on his bunk and giving her a sharp look. Yeah, she was pushing her luck.

"I don't exactly know," She said with a shrug. "I guess because I can? There a children in Megaton, they don't deserve to live in the shadow of that. The Wasteland is difficult enough, why make it harder for them?"

Jude simply stared at her, and she stared back, the rumble of the ship's generator and slight buzz of the lights overhead filling the space with white noise as she finally looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

"And," She continued, running the pages between her fore finger and thumb to avoid looking at him, "if I can disarm it I'm sure there is someone out there who could rig it to explode, and from what I've come to realize out here, for the right amount of caps some people will do just about anything. I figure I'll just take care of it now and spare them the trouble."

"You've been out here five days and you've given up on humanity all ready?" Asked Jude, leaning down and picking up his shotgun and his repair kit and he set to work on checking the weapon over. "You think someone would rig it to explode?"

"I haven't given up on  _all_  of humanity." She said, looking back up at him. "I'm just saying somebody might. So I better get there first."

Jude paused in his gun care and looked up at her uneasily. "What if someone does want the bomb to explode?" He said slowly, "Someone with a lot of caps and influence? You willing to step on that someone's toes?"

"Who says they'll know it was me?" She said, folding her sore legs up underneath her and marking her place in her book with her thumb as she let it fall shut. "Do you know someone who's planning to rig the bomb?" She asked, looking across at Jude, who avoided her gaze, simply leaned over and picked up her rifle leaning against the end of her bunk and started cleaning and repairing it as well.

"I know someone who's not too fond of Megaton," He said at last, still keeping his eyes trained on her rifle. "and he's got a lot of dough."

Posey looked down at the cover of the book in her hands, feeling her heartbeat quicken slightly and she said lightly, "Well I'll just have to beat them to the punch won't I?"

Jude looked up at her and she forced herself to lift her eyes and meet his gaze. His face was, as usual, unreadable. Posey wished she had that skill, but she felt her emotions were always too close to the surface, she was always too easy to read. She dropped her gaze and cleared her throat and said, "Alright, you've asked me half a dozen questions, not to mention my two I stored from back at the memorial, so now it's my turn."

Jude sighed and went back to his cleaning, looking resigned. "Fine. Do your worst. I still don't have to answer. And neither do you when I ask, just so you know."

She watched him for a moment, taking in the curve of his shoulder and bicep as he turned away from her, keeping his eyes glued to the gun in his lap, meticulously pouring over it for the tiniest anomalies in it's structure. His thick eyelashes actually cast a shadow on his cheekbone, and he pursed his lips slightly as he stared down at the gun and Posey thought hard about all the questions bouncing around in her head.  _Where did you even come from? Why did you have a too small hat in your bag?_ Why  _do you go by Colorado to everyone but me? What does A.H. stand for? What is it about BB guns and tenth birthdays that made you look at me like that?_ She remembered that look, and so the words sprang to her lips before she could stop them and she asked: "What's your favorite color?"

He froze, looking slowly up at her with a look that she could only describe as a 'what. the. hell.' look. His eyebrows were quirked down and his mouth pursed in a slight frown and his eyes almost looked suspicious, like she was making fun of him.

"My favorite...what?"

"Color." She repeated, "What's your favorite color?"

"I don't have one."

"Yes you do," She said, putting  _Duck and Cover_ aside and sitting up, bringing one knee to her chest, "everyone has one."

"Yeah, well not me." He said, frowning more in confusion than actual anger.

"Come on, this isn't even a hard one! What's your favorite color?"

"Hell, I don't know Blondie," He said, reaching up and tugging on his ear uncomfortably before settling back in his bunk, her rifle still in his lap.

"Just pick one." Said Posey with a slight smile. For some reason, making Jude uncomfortable was immensely rewarding.

"Fine," He glanced up at her, then swept his gaze around the room before muttering, "blue, I guess."

"Blue," Said Posey, her smile growing as she leaned back against the ship's cold metal wall. "Okay. I like that one too."

"Well what's your favorite color?" He said, sounding defensive. Posey laughed in spite of herself,

"I said I like blue! And are you sure you want to get into this game? I get another question now. But if you're curious... Pink."

"Pink." Said Jude flatly, looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, pink." She said, "Not like, bright pink. Pink like you'd see in sunrises and sunsets. Well I guess you can see bright pink in those too, but soft, really light pink. In the Vault there was this old catalogue, magazine things that people could order dresses and furniture and such out of, and there was an ad, for perfume I think, and it had these really pretty pink flowers. Peonies they're called. I loved that ad."

"You're not gonna find any flowers out here." He said, turning back to her rifle putting all the pieces he'd pulled out to clean back together.

"I know." She said, looking back down at  _Duck and Cover_.

"You really think you can disarm that thing?" He asked, watching as she ran her fingers over its faded cover.

"Yeah. It's actually not that complicated," She said, picking it up and turning to the page where the model of the bomb in Megaton was, "There's only a couple of mechanics involved with that particular model." She said, offering the book over to him. Jude wiped his hands on a rag from his gun cleaning kit, his fingers were smudged with gunpowder, before accepting the book. He looked at the diagram, his dark eyebrows drawn down low.

"I guess that doesn't look to hard." He said slowly.

"No, it tells you exactly how to right here." She pointed to a small paragraph below the picture of the bomb. "Step by step instructions, with diagrams and everything."

Jude looked over the book and Posey drew back, looking down at her Pip-Boy's map with a slight frown. Jude had programmed the location of where he guessed Vault 112 would be, if it was west of Evergreen Mills, and it was a long ways away. She looked at the few dots representing locations she'd already found and programed in. Vault 101, Rivet City, The Jefferson Memorial Building, Museum of Technology, and...

"Megaton. We need to stop in Megaton." She said, not looking up from her Pip-Boy. "On our way to Vault 112, we need to go there first."

"That's a little out of the way, Blondie. Are you sure?"

Posey swallowed hard, "Yeah. I'm sure."

"Okay. I'll sell what I can to the buyers here, but I can get better deals on these chems from Moriarty."

Posey's nose wrinkled at the mention of Moriarty. "And I can disarm that bomb."

"Yeah, and you can take care of that too. We should be able to head directly west of Megaton and that'll take us far enough away from Evergreen Mills that we won't have to worry about running into them, and we'll just have to head south for a little while, and we should find Vault 112 no problem."

"How on earth has he made it this far through all these Mutants and Raiders?" Said Posey, mostly to herself. "How is he ahead of us?"

Jude shook his head, and closed  _Duck and Cover_ with a snap before handing it back to her. "Your old man must be pretty spry. That's all I can say. We better get some sleep, especially if you aim on saving all of Megaton tomorrow."

"I do aim to do that." Said Posey, tucking the book back into her bag.

Jude looked up at her, quiet for moment before shaking his head. "Just don't miss, Blondie."

* * *

The walk back to Megaton was long, not to mention hair raising. They'd run into a lot more raiders than Posey was prepared for, not to mention Mole Rats, and an even more disgusting creature Jude called a Bloatfly. Yet through all of it, Jude didn't seem troubled, even when he pulled a two inch Bloatfly larva out of his arm, it's dart like spine sinking into his exposed flesh. He did however, seem to be in better spirits, though not quite as talkative as he had been on the way to the memorial.

"Well, we made it." Said Jude, standing in the shadow of Megaton, and Posey could only nod in relief. The journey had been something of a blur, and for that Posey was grateful. She didn't want to think of how many lives she'd ended in the few short hours they'd traveled.

"Yeah, we did." She said shakily. "And in one piece no less."

"What an accomplishment." Said Jude, giving her a smirk before pushing the gates open and heading inside.

The dusty gathering was much as she'd left it, a few settlers milling about, and Lucas Simms giving them a nod as he came to check who had arrived in his town.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Bennett." He said, giving her a smile. "If I'm going to be completely honest, I wasn't sure you'd make it."

"Me neither." Said Posey, wearily. "But, I did find something that will help with your, uh, atomic problem."

The Sheriff raised his eyebrows. "Did you now?"

"I did. I can disarm it for you, for good." Said Posey confidently. Simms raised his eyebrows.

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"So long as you don't blow us all sky high." Said Simms uneasily.

"She won't, Simms." Said Jude, and the sheriff looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"You vouching for her, Colorado?"

"I am." Said Jude with a nod.

To both Jude and Posey's surprise, the man let out a loud laugh.

"Well, I'll be," Said Simms, his eyes bright and smile wide. "never thought I'd see the day. Well, I trust you got this covered Miss Bennett. You take care of the problem, then come and find me afterward. There'll be something in it for you if you fix it up right. I'll be seeing you two later."

He left them with almost something like a bow, then turned and walked away, chuckling to himself.

"Odd." Remarked Posey, watching him go with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah." Said Jude with a thoughtful frown. "Well, whatever. I wanna head to the saloon, get me one last drink before you start tinkering with that thing."

"Hey!" Said Posey indignantly, "I thought you were vouching for me!"

"I did, didn't I? Now let's go sell us some chems and get me drunk so you can not blow us all up."

"I  _won't_ blow us all up." She said with a scowl. "And I don't want to go to the saloon. I hate Moriarty; I don't want to give him business."

"I'll deal with Moriarty. You just have to bring the chems, they're squirreled away in your bag."

" _My_ bag?!" Cried Posey, wide eyed "You turned me into a drug mule!"

"Would you stop fussing and just come on?" Said Jude impatiently. "Your bag had more room! Chems make good caps, and you're the one who found most of them anyway."

"Fine." Said Posey with a scowl, "but I'm just going to say hi to Gob and I'm not even going to  _look_ at Moriarty. You get to barter with Moriarty not me."

"Fine. You'd probably mess it up anyway."

"Yeah," Said Posey, hiking her bag up on her shoulder and setting off towards the saloon. "I'd probably end up punching him in the nose again."

Jude's eyes widened, "Again? Did you just say  _again?!"_

* * *

The saloon was just as dimly light and smoky as always and Posey took a seat at the bar just as Gob turned and said,

"What can I-Hey! Smoothskin!" His face split into a wide smile (Which looked rather painful) and said "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! Glad to see you made it out of D.C. in one piece!"

"Thanks Gob." Said Posey with a smile, while Jude sought out Moriarty to start bartering.

"You want a drink? This one's on me, pick your poison."

"No thanks Gob, I'm fine. I just stopped by to say hi."

"Well I'm glad you did," He said, his rough and gravelly voice surprisingly warm and kind. "Moriarty has really been cracking down, it's nice to see a friendly face."

"There's really no way for you out of that deal?" Asked Posey, folding her arms on the counter and looking at Gob with a frown. Once you got past the, well, the almost everything, Gob's milky white eyes looked kind, and she could see a hint of brown, perhaps an indication of what color his iris' use to be. Gob shook his head and absently started to wipe down the counter.

"Nah, probably not. I gotta pay back my loan to Moriarty, but at at the same time he charges me room and board here and I ain't got anywhere else to stay, really. People don't take kindly to ghouls in the common house."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gob." Said Posey sincerely. "If there's anything I can do for you-"

"Probably not." Said Gob with a sad smile. "Thanks for the offer, Smoothskin. Hey, did you find your dad yet?"

"No, but I've got a good lead, I'm headed to-"

"Well well well, if this isn't  _just_ what the doctor ordered."

Posey turned just as Gob shrank back and practically vanished behind the bar as a man in a surprisingly spotless and impeccable suit stood before her, giving her a slow smile that suddenly made Posey wish she was wearing a winter coat. The man tipped his stylish hat to her, dark eyes flashing behind tinted lenses as Posey asked uncertainly,

"Can I help you, Sir?"

"Oh yes, my dear girl." He said, his voice like velvet over steel, "I believe you can."

A chill ran up Posey's spine and unconsciously, she dropped her hand to rest on her pistol strapped to her thigh.

"I had just about given up hope." He said, smoothly taking her hand in his own. "I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. I am Mister Burke. And you are?" His lips brushed over her still bruised knuckles and Posey drew her hand back. His lips were cold.

"Posey Bennett." Said Posey, feeling a drop of sweat slide down her back. There was something immensely off putting about this man, with his black hair, greying at the temples, slicked smoothly back, and his sharp, slow smile.

"Charmed, my dear. Charmed." He took a seat next to her, and his movements mimicked his voice: smooth, poised and dangerous. "Tell me, you are not a resident of this putrescent cesspool, are you?"

"No," Said Posey slowly with a frown. "Not exactly."

"I thought not." He said, draping an arm over the bar and giving her a lazy once over, which caused Posey's grip to tighten on her gun, hidden beneath the shadow of the bar. "Never could a place like this put forth a shining gem like yourself. That makes you a very valuable individual, darling."

"Oh?"

She glanced around, looking for Jude but he was nowhere to be found. Probably off bartering with that skeez Moriarty in the back.

"Indeed." Said Mister Burke, "A  _most_ valuable individual."

"Well, thank you very much Mister Burke, but I'm afraid I must be-"

His hand shot out faster than she could have imagined, icy cold and steely strong fingers clamping around her upper arm while his voice purred: "There's no rush, my dear. Please, have a seat. Allow me to buy you a drink. I simply want to inform you of the,  _interests,_ that I represent."

He steered her back to her stool with surprising strength and kept his arm resting so close to hers, she could see the weave in his pinstriped suit, caging her in. Posey glanced frantically around the bar, trying to meet Gob's eyes, who was starring in something not unlike terror at Burke.

"What sort of interests, Mister Burke." Said Posey, looking back at him. She could smell some sort of heavy, overpowering cologne coming off of him, and it was making her head ache, and her thoughts muddy.

"Real Estate, one might say." Said Burke with a smile, "They view this place, this  _Megaton_ ," He spat out the word as though riding his mouth of a foul taste, "as a blight on a burgeoning urban landscape."

Posey raised her eyebrows. "I wouldn't call the Wasteland,  _burgeoning_ , Mister Burke."

"Perhaps you simply lack the ambition me and my peers are burdened with." Said Burke with a sardonic smile. "Although I can think of many categories where you are gifted beyond belief." He murmured, eyeing her frame once again and Posey fought back a gag. "But I digress, Miss Bennett. You have no connections here, no interest in this cesspit's affairs, or fate.  _You_ , my dear girl, could assist  _us_ in erasing this little accident right off the map."

Posey's blood ran cold.

"I don't know what you're suggesting," Lied Posey, "but I'm quite sure that I don't want to be a part of it, Burke."

Burke's eyes flashed and a deadly smile rose to his lips. "I could make you rich, dear girl. Easy money. You wouldn't want to end up stuck here, would you? A pawn in this Moriarty's game? A beautiful young thing like yourself, We wouldn't want anyone," she felt his icy fingers brush her cheek and goose bumps rose where they'd trailed. "taking advantage of you, would we?"

"I think we're done here," Said posey attempting again to rise, but Burke's hand came down hard on her thigh, just above her knee, his fingers smooth and cold as marble clenching into the bare skin so tightly she knew it would bruise, sending a chill throughout her whole body.

"Are you sure, dear girl?" He breathed, his face uncomfortably close to her own. "It would be simple enough. That bomb, mere feet away from us, is still very much alive. It would be a very straightforward job, and as I said, it would make you rich. Rich beyond belief. And did I hear you were looking for your father? I could aid you."

"I don't want your help." Hissed Posey, glowering at him and her hand so tight on her gun her palms were stinging again. "Now let me go, or so help me-"

"Hey Blondie, we've got to head to Moria's before-"

Burke drew back and the pressure on her thigh was gone in an instant as Jude came around the bar, looking from Posey, to Burke. His eyes narrowed slightly and his mouth pressed down in a firm, hard line. He looked just as threatening as Burke did.

"Ah, Mr.  _Colorado_." Said Burke sardonically. "Still scavenging and scrimping by in this dung heap I see."

"And you've still got your head up your ass, apparently." Said Jude darkly. Burke's smile vanished, replaced by a look nothing short of murderous and Posey got hastily to her feet as Jude glared back.

"I'm not going to rig that bomb, Burke." Said Posey, her voice steady though her hands shook as she stood in front of Jude, facing down Burke. "And neither is anyone else, you hear me?" The rest of the bar had gone deathly quiet, even the radio seemed to stop buzzing. "There are  _children_ here, you sick son of a bitch!" continued Posey vehemently. "You stay away from that bomb."

"Oh that's cute." Said Burke, his thin lips twisting up in a razor sharp smirk. "And how do you plan to carry through with that gallant little speech?"

"I'll figure something out." Said Posey coolly, "If I were you, I'd stear clear of the thing."

"Is that a threat?" Said Burke lightly, getting to his feet, his broad brimmed hat casting his face into shadow. "Oh, my dear girl you are just precious aren't you." He purred.

"I'm not your  _dear girl_." Snapped Posey, "And if I were threatening you, you wouldn't have to ask." Her leg throbbed.

She felt Jude shift slightly behind her, his chest just brushing her back, muscles taut under his leather armor.

"You are just adorable, my dear. Tell me Colorado, where did you find this novel little thing? Darling," He said, leaning forward, his eyes behind his glasses were pitch black and as hard as stone. "you don't want to threaten me."

"And you don't want to mess with me." Said Posey, sounding much braver than she felt.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure." He said lazily, "I find the prospect rather stimulating, actually." Posey lips twisted in disgust.

"You're despicable, Burke." Growled Posey, her lips contorted into a snarl, "And I'd rather die than work with you."

Burke smiled, reached up and removed his glasses. "Well, that can certainly be arranged."

He had his gun out faster than Posey could comprehend, but there was an crash, and Burke stumbled forward to revel Gob, holding the shattered neck of a bottle and Jude shoved Posey aside, tackling Burke to the ground. Posey leapt forward and stomped hard on Burke's wrist, causing him to howl in pain as she pulled the gun from his frigid fingers and stepped back, aiming it directly between his eyes. Jude struggled to his feet, and Posey handed him her ten millimeter pistol, which he took and aimed it down at Burke as well, spatting out a mouthful of blood at Burke's polished shoes.

"You two have made a very deadly mistake." Growled Burke, his black eyes feral and smooth hair arway.

"You're not exactly in the position to be intimidating, jackass." Said Jude,

"We're going to escort you to the gates." Said Posey smoothly, "And if you're smart. You'll never come back."

Burke looked livid, but got to his feet slowly, his hands above his head, and Gob got the door for them as Jude prodded Burke in the back with his pistol, and the odd parade shuffled out of the bar. Lucas Simms, who was about to enter looked surprised, but not exactly displeased to see Posey and Jude ushering Burke out at gunpoint.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events." Drawled Simms. "Care to share, Colorado?"

"I'm not entirely sure what happened." Said Jude thickly through his split lip. "Ask Blondie over there."

"He asked me to rig the bomb to explode." Explained Posey, her eyes never leaving Burke's back. "I declined, he attacked, so we're escorting him out."

"Escorting him out, that seems generous." Said Simms with a menacing glower. "Let me take over, Miss Bennett. You see to our bomb, while Mr. Colorado and I see to this bit of filth."

"You'll regret this, Simms." Growled Burke, but Simms just shoved him forward, and Posey stepped aside, leaning against the railing and watching the group pass. Burke looked over his shoulder and pinned Posey with a lethal glare.

"This isn't over." He growled,

"From where I'm standing it is." Said Posey, gripping the railing tight in her shaking hands, feeling her leg begin to swell with her bruise.

Burke gave her a deadly smile, that made Posey feel cold all over.

"Oh, this is only just the beginning. Remember, I gave you a chance. Expect to hear from me again soon. I'm coming for you,  _Miss_  Bennett."

"Shut it." Snarled Jude, baring his teeth, a terrifying sight seeing as they were smeared with blood, and shoving Burke's head forward. "One more word and I blow your greasy head off."

"Touchy touchy." Taunted Burke, "Don't worry Colorado, I'll be sure to show her a good time before the end. Nothing like the occasions she's spent with you, I'm sure."

"I said shut it!" Roared Jude, jamming the barrel of Posey's pistol at the base of his skull.

"Colorado, maybe you'd better let me take him in." Said Simms, and Jude shook his head, hands trembling, expression deadly.

"I'll take him, you stay here. Cover me, just in case he tries something."

"Fine." Said Jude stiffly, and Simms and Burke made their slow progression down the ramps.

"I'll be in touch shortly, my dear." Called Burke, and Posey shuddered as she watched as Simms escorted him away.

Jude didn't say anything, simply stood, glaring down at Burke's retreating figure, his lips curled in a snarl, all of his muscles taut as a bowstring.

"What an asshole." Said Posey lightly as Burke faded out of sight. Jude didn't say anything, and Posey turned to look at him, the blood dripping off his chin and his jaw set tight in anger.

"Are you alright, Jude?" She asked hesitantly, stepping closer and looking at his mouth. His bottom lip was split and was already starting to swell. "Your lip, it looks-"

"I'm fine." Said Jude shortly. "I've had worse."

"Well that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." Said Posey with a slight frown, "Here, let me see-"

"I said I'm fine!" Snapped Jude, "I have to cover Simms. Go take care of your bomb."

"But-"

He stomped away, following after the path that the sheriff had taken, and Posey watched him go, bewildered.

"Well, ye certainly know how to cause a scene, I'll give you that."

Posey turned and saw the most unwelcome sight of Moriarty, leaning against the railing beside her, looking after Burke with a slight smirk.

"Did ye find yer daddy yet?"

"Information's a currency." Said Posey snidely, "and I'm in no mood to barter."

"Ach, you're no fun." Said Moriarty, pushing off on the railing. "Still, glad you got rid of that prick. So, he was gonna blow us all up then?"

"Or find someone to do it for him."

"He didn't look very hard then, hell I would've done it, if he payed me well enough."

"You're disgusting." Said Posey, pushing off the railing and marching away.

"Don't look so high and mighty, lassie." He called after her, "You wait 'n see! You live long enough out here, you'll lose them high standards of yours awful quick!"

Posey didn't dignify that with a response, and instead made a beeline for the bomb, tuning out the sermon of the man standing in front of it with his arms held worshipfully upwards. She found the control panel, just as the book described and pulled it off. Inside were a mass of wires, and Posey found the two that her book had indicated, after double checking  _Duck and Cover_ to be doubly sure, reached past them to a switch which she flicked. The mass let out a slight hiss, and passersby jumped and looked at the thing uneasily as it let out a stream of gas, but Posey just raised a pair of wire cutters Jude had lent her and snipped the two black wires. Just as the book had said, the light at the top right of the control panel, blinked three times before going out. Satisfied, Posey replaced the control panel and stepped out of the muddied water, hands on hips and smiling up at the bomb that was now truly deactivated.

"Just as I thought." Said Posey under her breath, "Easy as-"

There was a crack of gunfire and Posey whirled around, her heart leaping into her throat and her feet unconsciously taking her to the source as she sprinted up the lane to see Burke tearing through the gates of Megaton, and Jude and Simms sprawled in the dirt, near the brass lantern.

"Jude!" Cried Posey, feeling a sob build in her throat as she flew towards him, skidding to a halt on her knees, as she leaned over him, heart in her throat and tears pricking her eyes as Jude's head lolled and he struggled to keep her in focus. There was a trickle of blood down his temple "Jude are you alright!"

"That sonofabitch-" slurred Jude, "I'll  _kill_ 'em. No good, dirty rotten-"

"I'm guessing this means you're not critically injured." Said Posey, though her heart still pounded.

Simms let out a groan a few feet away and Posey looked up, to see him struggling to sit up, his hand clamped around his side.

"Where's that bastard?! I'll shoot to kill this time! That son of a bitch!"

"He's gone, sheriff are you alright?"

"He got away?" Demanded Simms, looking furiously towards the gate. "Damnit! We gotta-"

"Get you two to a doctor?" Said Posey, "I think so."

"I'm fine, Blondie. I told you, I'm fine!" Groaned Jude, bringing a hand to his head.

"You!" Said Posey, snapping her fingers at a nearby Settler. "Get over here and help me. These men need a doctor."

Thankfully, the man didn't protest, and he hauled the sheriff to his feet, who let out another groan and kept his hand to his side, which Posey now saw was bleeding.

"Mr. Simms! Are you-"

"It's just a graze, girlie." He said, though he was wincing and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. "I'll pull through. Doc Church has patched up worse."

"What about you?" She asked as Jude slowly sat up, his hand to his head and wincing. "What happened to you?"

"He had another gun, a punny little pistol." Said Jude, groaning as he leaned back against the wall of the Brass Lantern. "Pulled it on me and Sheriff. He got one shot, grazed the sheriff before I got him, a good one in the leg, but he'd already brained me and so he took off."

"I really think you should see the doctor too." Said Posey, eyes wide with concern. "You might have a concussion."

"Isn't that what you said to me last time? I've got a thick skull."

"So I've noticed." Said Posey dryly, and Jude's lips twitched in a smile, immediately followed by a wince. "Come on, up you get. You're probably concussed. Trust me, my dad's a doctor."

"I don't think that's how it works." Said Jude, stumbling slightly and Posey steadied him, draping his arm around her shoulder and slipping hers around his waist.

"Sure it is." She said, panting under his weight. "I'm pretty sure that is exactly how it works."

Jude, as it turned out, was concussed.

"See, I told you." Said Posey while Doc Church put his medical examination kit away.

"Well then what'd ya need me for?" Demanded Doc grumpily. "It's a pretty mild one. I injected a stimpack up there. Here." He thrust a cold pack at Posey, loosely wrapped in a cloth. "Keep this pressed to his head and get him on outta here. I got other patients to see. Come back if he throws up again, has unequal pupils, weakness on one side of the body or passes out. Just rest up for the rest of the day and clear out."

"Yes sir," Said Posey, "I'll keep a good eye on him."

"Miss Bennett," Called Simms, who was propped up on a cot in the corner of the room, his graze bandaged and cleaned. "before you go, here's your payment for fixing up our little problem." He handed over a small pouch. "One hundred caps, and." He reached into the pocket of his duster, hanging on the back of a chair near his bed. "the key to your new place. Welcome to Megaton, Miss Bennett. I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Wait, what?" Said Posey, accepting the offering in surprise. "A house? Here? For me?"

Lucas laughed, which caused him to wince and place a hand on his side. "It ain't no Tenpenny penthouse, but it's yours alright. Follow the path just above the Brass Lantern and it'll take you straight to it. If you want it to be a little, homier, talk to Moria Brown. She'll help you fix it up. And, Miss Bennett,"

Posey paused in the act of stowing her caps and her key, looking up at him expectantly.

"If you see my son around, Harden, would you kindly explain what happened, and maybe send him down here?"

"Of course," Said Posey with a smile. "thank you, Sheriff."

"Always a pleasure, Miss Bennett." Said Lucas with a smile. "You take care of that Colorado now."

"I will." Said Posey, turning and leading a dazed Jude out of the clinic.

As Posey walked up towards her new house, Jude grumbled absently behind her, his footsteps a little ungainly. "Sure, I come and bring my business here for  _four years_  and I still sleep in the common house. You waltz in and he just hands over a key to some property!"

"Just hands over?" Said Posey indignantly. "I had to defuse a bomb!"

"Yeah, whatever." said Jude grumpily. "You said it yourself, it wasn't that hard."

"Well I still did it." Said Posey, sliding her key into the lock and turning it. "I made an effort, and that effort is being rewarded. And I think you need a nap, Mr. Grouchy Pants."

"Only because while you were busy getting the key to the city I was getting brained by the bad guy you pissed off!"

"Excuse me!" Demanded Posey, forgetting about the house and turning to him with a scowl, her arms crossed over her chest. " _I_ didn't tell the psychopath that he had his head up his ass!"

"Yeah well I didn't run my mouth and  _threaten_ him!" Fired back Jude, bringing his hand to his head and flinching.

"What was I supposed to do!" Shouted Posey, balling her fists.

"I  _thought_  you were going to be more ' _calculating_ '." Jude bellowed back. "Isn't that what you said? But no! Instead, you got one of the most dangerous men in the Wasteland's attention! What the hell is wrong with you, Blondie!"

"Wrong with  _me_! I was  _trying_ to get away from him when  _you_ showed up and ran  _your_ mouth! Didn't you see the way he looked at you? He was going to  _kill_ you!"

"Then I would've shot him first! Instead of pronouncing myself a goddamn hero in front of everyone in the bar! Is that what you think you are? A hero? You know what happens to heroes, Blondie? They end up dead! Is that what you want?"

"Of course that's not what I want!"

"You could've fooled me! And don't even  _talk_  about how he looked at me! Didn't you see how he looked at  _you?_  At least with me I would've just been dead! if he got his hands on you,"

Posey slapped him, hard. She didn't think about the fact that he'd just been diagnosed with a concussion, she didn't think about the fact that she was suppose to be caring for him and that he'd already gotten a fat lip today, on her behalf. All she thought about was Burke's cold eyes on her, his slow, razor sharp smile.

" _I'm coming for you,_ Miss  _Bennett."_

Jude stared down at her, a welt already rising on his cheek and Posey felt her palm sting and wondered absently if the skin there would ever heal out here, or if she would just keep breaking it, over and over again with more and more bouts of stomach churning anxiety.

"Of course I noticed." She said through trembling lips. "Of course I  _saw_. Don't you think I know what would happen if he caught me? I'm not an  _idiot,_  Jude. I know what he would do. I don't need you to remind me. I just, reacted, okay? I let my mouth get a head of my brain because I thought he was going to kill you. You didn't see the half of it, while you were busy haggling with Moriarty, Burke had me pinned at the bar, trying to convince me to blow this place to smithereens. Of course I knew he was dangerous."

She turned back around and unlocked the door, pushing it open and stepping inside. She looked back at him with slightly raised eyebrows and stepped aside, clearing the way for him so he could follow after her.

"I think I'll stay at the Common House." Said Jude, refusing to meet her eye. "This is your place. You earned it."

"Don't be an idiot, Jude." Said Posey impatiently. "You're hurt. Come on, get inside."

"No." Said Jude, shaking his head and cringing at the no doubt shooting pain through his head. "I..." He swallowed hard, "I shouldn't have said that, about Burke. I.. I'm sorry. I'll stay at the Common House, it's not a big deal."

"Would you get your ass in here and lay down already? I've already been a crappy nurse, I  _slapped_  you for heaven's sake."

"I deserved it." Said Jude with a shrug, looking at her from under his lashes.

"Yeah, you did. Now get in here, before I slap you again."

Jude hesitated, before finally stepping inside and closing the door after them. Posey glanced around at the space that was now hers, and heard a very chipper robotic voice say in a very proper sounding accent:

"Good Evening, Madam! I can't tell you how delighted I am to meet you! I am your  _personal_ assistant, Wadsworth."

Posey and Jude both turned and saw a Mr. Handy robot, hovering down the stairs towards the two of them, its eye apparatice waggling almost happily as it introduced itself.

"If there is anything I can do for you, anything at all. Do not hesitate to ask. Oh! I see that we have a guest! Shall I prepare the guest room, Madam?"

"Um," Posey bit her lip to hold in a smile. "sure, I guess."

"Right away then, madam! And there are five purified water bottles in the refrigerator for your pleasure, Ma'am. Please do enjoy yourself while I make the necessary preparations."

As Wadsworth floated away, back up the stairs, his thrusters humming gently, Posey looked around house appreciatively, a small smile on her face. It was far from Vault 101, it's ramshackle walls, a combination of corrugated tin, sheet metal and odd planks of wood and plywood, had a few gaps, allowing sun to shine on through, and as she stepped into the main room, she looked up and saw a similiar problem with the roof.

"Well, would you look at that." She said, looking down at Jude with a smile. "I've even got a sunroof. Fancy that."

"This actually isn't too shabby." Said Jude, looking around the place. "In fact, it's pretty nice, compared to the Common House."

"Yeah?" Asked Posey, looking around the small living area, with its two banks of lockers, a simple bookshelf and adjoining kitchen. "I guess it's not too bad. And Wadsworth says there's a fridge even, with purified water no less."

"That is a pretty sweet perk." Admitted Jude,

"How's your lip?" Asked Posey, turning back to him. Jude shrugged, looking down at the floor almost shyly.

"Fine."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little."

"You should alternate between putting your cold pack on your head and your lip, to help with the swelling."

"Okay."

"And you can put your pack down now, you know."

Jude let the heavy pack fall to the floor, pushing it next to the bookshelf with his foot with a sigh, rolling his shoulders now free of its weight.

"I'm sorry."

They both looked surprised at the pronouncement, made in sync and Posey smirked.

"What're you sorry for?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"For blowing up at you, I guess." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just... Burke. He's a bad guy, Blondie. And he's got connections."

"So I've gathered." Said Posey softly.

"He's not someone you want to be on the bad side of."

"I don't think I'd want to be on his good side, either."

"It'd be a hell of a lot better than on his bad. But you know what would be best? Him not noticing you at all."

"He seemed to know who you are." Said Posey definitely, "So don't you be lecturing me about that."

"Yeah well, he's a sore loser. He shouldn't play cards against me if he doesn't want to lose."

"Cocky," Said Posey with a half smile. Jude smiled back, despite his split lip.

"I don't get it, Blondie. How long have you been out here? A week?" He said with a shake of the head, "And yet Three Dog won't shut up about you, fixing his relay, aiding the Good Fight. You've made one of the most influential men in the Wasteland your enemy, and saved a town. I've lived here my entire life, and-" He let out a slight laugh, "About,  _twelve_  people, know my name."

"No," Corrected Posey with a smile, "twelve people know Colorado's name. How many people know Jude?"

"Not many at all." Said Jude, giving her a crooked smile.

"The guest room is ready for you, sir." Wadsworth called cheerily. "And if there is anything else I can do for you please, do not hesitate to ask!"

"Thanks." Said Jude, not taking his eyes off Posey, who could feel herself blushing but met his gaze steadily enough. Jude finally looked away, smiling and shaking his head, "You're somethin', Blondie. You are somethin'." He said, looking back at her with a grin.

"A good kind of something? Or a bad kind of something?" She asked, feeling her heartbeat pick up a little as Jude stepped closer, his gaze searching.

"Can't decide yet." He said softly, and he was close enough now that she could see there were flecks of yellow in his bright green eyes. He made a loose fist and chucked her gently on the bottom of her chin, before stepping back, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'll tell you, when I figure it out."

He turned, and headed up the stairs, his feet thudding on each step and Posey stepped back feeling suddenly a little light headed. She heard a door close above her and she set her own bag down on the floor, and sat down next to it, placing her back against a bank of lockers. She looked around, taking in her house. Her  _house_. What would her dad think of that, when she finally found him. She was a bonafide home owner.

"Living the American Dream." She said, smiling a little to herself. She pulled her bag closer to her and started unpacking it, taking out her rumpled Vault suits, empty ammo boxes and finally, the thing she was looking for.

The framed picture of her and her father, on her tenth birthday. Posey brushed the glass with the tip of her finger, looking at her tousled hair and gap toothed smile, her father's bright eyes and happy grin. She got up and walked over to the bookshelf pushed up against the stairs, and set it on top.

"I'll see you soon, Dad." She said with a soft smile.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even going to bother apologizing for the length at this point. You all know I'm long winded.
> 
> Anyway, what do you guys think? It didn't exactly go how I planned it but this one was fun to write. I had a good time, and good news! it didn't get deleted like my last chapter! Woo Hoo! But now we're really getting into the fun stuff! I've got it all planned out now, and we're ready to go! So hopefully I'll have a better, more frequent updating schedule.
> 
> As usual, drop me a review and I seriously always push for song suggestions but you guys have no idea how badly I need them. This chapters song is by Radical Face. (Uh, I love that band) I have fallen into a trap with putting lyrics at the beginning of each chapter! Do you guys even like that? Tell me if you do or if you think it's annoying, because I really would like to know! and if you guys don't like it, that might save me some trouble. But if you do, I'll keep my eyes peeled! I've already got a list of songs that remind me of Jude and Posey, hahaha, but that might just be because I know where they're headed ;) If you guys are interested I might post that in my bio!
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> XoXos,
> 
> Living Pretty


	10. Side by Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money  
> Maybe we're ragged and funny  
> But we travel along, singin' our song  
> Side by side
> 
> Don't know what's comin' tomorrow  
> Maybe it's trouble and sorrow  
> But we travel the road, sharin' our load  
> Side by side
> 
> Through all kinds of weather  
> What if the sky should fall  
> Just as long as we're together  
> It doesn't matter at all
> 
> When they've all had their quarrels and parted  
> We'll be the same as we started  
> Just travelin' along, singin' our song  
> Side by side

It took Jude a moment to remember where he was when his eyes first fluttered open, staring up at a corrugated tin roof that wasn't the Megaton Common House. He looked to his right and saw a small room with a rickety shelving unit, a single chair next to a table, where he'd discarded his leather armor before he'd crashed, but no indication of where he was. He sat up with a groan, and slowly memories started trickling back to him. Posey and him arriving in Megaton, Burke, and a splitting headache.

_That bastard_ , thought Jude grumpily, _should have shot him the minute I saw him._

He got to his feet, stretching and rubbing his eyes as his recollections suddenly came pouring back in and he remembered he was in Posey's house. Her house. She'd gotten a house. He shuffled out of the room, looking blearily around, trying to figure out what time it was. He guessed mid-morning, by the pale light filtering in through the gaps in the walls and he walked over to the railing following along the edge of the second level, placed his folded arms on the edge and leaned down, looking for Posey, but the main room was empty. He pushed off the railing with a sigh and set off down the stairs, just in time to encounter Wadsworth, who had a dust rag in one of his many appendages.

"Oh, good morning sir!" He said cheerily, bobbing his camera almost as if he was bowing. "I trust you slept well?"

"Yeah." Said Jude with a frown, rubbing his eye. "Where's Posey?"

"Mistress Posey is out for the morning, sir. Shall I brew you some coffee? I'm afraid that's all I have to offer at the moment, as far as sustenance goes."

Jude's stomach growled and he looked down at it with a frown. He supposed coffee would be better than nothing, at least tell he got down to Jenny Stahl's bar.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks. Where did Posey go?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, sir." Said Wadsworth, who had floated away to the kitchen. "She left, an hour or two ago, after instructing me to keep an eye on you."

"What time is it?"

"10:36 A.M., sir."

"How long was I out?"

"I do believe you came in around five o'clock yesterday evening, sir. You've been asleep since then."

Jude let out a low whistle and reached down to rummage through his pack, looking for his tee shirt and jeans, the only set of clothes he owned apart from his leather armor. By the time he was dressed, Wadsworth floated back to him, a steaming mug of coffee in his claw-like hand.

"Here you are, sir. It's quite hot, just as a warning."

"Thanks." Said Jude, gingerly accepting the mug, which was hot to the touch. He looked around as Wadsworth floated away again, taking in Posey's duffel, situated next to the bank of lockers nearest to the door. Her Assault Rifle was leaning against the lockers, but he didn't see her pistol anywhere. He hoped she had enough sense to keep that on her. Megaton was relatively safe, but that was the trick. _Relatively_. He took a careful sip of his coffee and turned around, looking across at the bookshelf, on which Posey had placed both _Duck and Cover_ , and another unfamiliar book, but whose spine read _A Tale of Two Cities_. A picture frame rested on top of the bookshelf, and Jude picked it up carefully, looking down at the happy faces behind the glass.

Jude assumed this was Posey and her father. Posey's father had his arm around her shoulders, and Posey was grinning ear to ear, despite a split lip. He could definitely see a family resemblance, something about the nose and the eyes, but it wasn't as vivid as Doctor Li had made it sound back in Rivet City. Or at least not to Jude anyway. Posey's dad was a good looking man, but his features weren't as fine as Posey's, who looked like a puff of wind could blow her over. But maybe that was just because he was a full grown man and Posey was a nineteen-year-old girl.

Jude set the picture down, careful to put it back in the exact position he'd found it, and downed the rest of his coffee before setting the mug down and heading for the door. Wadsworth immediately floated over and collected the dirty mug and said brightly, "Have a good day, sir!"

Jude gave him an acknowledging wave before opening the door and stepping out into Megaton.

 

He wandered down to Jenny's stall, keeping an eye out for Posey, but he didn't see even any indication that she was around.

"Morning, Colorado." Said, Jenny, as he took a seat at her bar, still glancing around the rusted metal shacks that made up Megaton

"Morning, Jenny." He said absently. Jenny paused, looking at Jude with wide eyes before a small smile took residence on her face.

"Well, you seem in high spirits today." Said Jenny slowly, still grinning as Jude looked at her with knitted eyebrows.

"What?" He asked, frowning.

"Nothing," Said Jenny, holding her hands up as if surrendering. "It's just, I think that's the first time in four years that you've said good morning to me."

"Oh." Said Jude, faltering slightly and reaching up and scrubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I guess."

"What can I get you?" She asked, still smiling and shaking her head in disbelief.

"Something quick, have you seen Posey, that girl from the Vault around this morning?"

Jenny raised an eyebrow as she pulled a plate out of the oven behind her, in which several 'Squirrels-On-A-Stick"'s seemed to be warming.

"I did, early this morning. She dropped by for some breakfast, haven't seen her since though."

Jude frowned as Jenny placed his food in front of him, and Jude handed over the five caps needed. He turned around on his stool, munching on his breakfast while scanning the small town for any sign of the Vaultie. There were the Children of Atom, still monotonously worshiping the now disarmed bomb, a few settlers roaming around, but no long blonde braid or Vault 101 jumpsuits.

"Thanks, Jenny." He said, pushing his plate towards her once he'd finished and set off to Moriarty's, thinking perhaps Posey had gone to talk to Gob.

"You're welcome, Colorado." Said Jenny sounding bemused, and she shook her head again smiling to herself.

 

Posey wasn't at the bar, and Gob hadn't seen her that morning. She wasn't at Craterside Supply, and Jude was starting to feel the beginnings of worry settle in his stomach, but overshadowed by that was irritation. Where the cuss was that girl?

He stepped out of Craterside Supply and shaded his eyes against the afternoon sun. He heard a scuff of a boot on metal and whirled around, and he thought he saw a flash of pale blonde on an upper level, running along near crazy old Nathan's house.

"Blondie?" He called, feeling a slight prickle of nerves as he jogged towards what he'd thought was her. Why was she running? What kind of trouble had she rustled up _now_?

By the time he reached the hollowed out bus turned house, she was gone again, and Jude was starting to feel truly anxious. He didn't know all of the settlers wandering about, but there had been that group who'd attempted to paw through her stuff when she first arrived, and not to mention Jericho was still hanging around this place and Jude didn't trust him as far as he could spit. And he could spit pretty far.

"Blondie?" he called again, his voice strained as he turned on the spot.

There was a muffled noise, a cut off cry and Jude turned about again, looking left and right with narrowed eyes. "Hello?"

He saw a hint of blue Vault Suit before it disappeared round a corner and Jude bounded after it, his heart pounding in his ears. "Blondie!"

He skidded round the corner, almost falling flat on his face before sprinting along the rusted walkway with a cacophony of rattling and shaking. He rounded another corner and flew straight into Posey, who yelped as he stumbled and gripped her upper arms to prevent the both of them crashing to the ground.

"Blondie!" He said breathlessly, as she looked up at him with wide eyes, her chest heaving and hair messy. "Blondie, you alright?"

She didn't say anything for a moment and Jude tightened his hands on her arms unconsciously, and said, almost frantically. "Posey!"

Suddenly, Posey grinned and let out a laugh before crying: "You're it!"

"Wait, what?" Said Jude in disbelief as Posey slipped out of his grasp and ran up the catwalk. Jude heard two new laughs behind him and two small bodies rushed past him and he saw Maggie Creel and Harden Simms, the town's only children, follow after Posey, all three of them laughing to their heart's content.

"What the hell?" Said Jude, dumbfounded.

"Language!" Chided Posey, turning to face him and grinning widely. Her hair was out of its braid, and fell in waves to her waist, and was partially held back with a red bandana, the two ends pointing right up from the top of her head like rabbit ears. Her Vault suit's sleeves were tied around her waist, leaving Posey's shoulders and the barest hint of midriff exposed in her ribbed white tank top. Jude blinked and shook his head, trying to make sense of the bizarre situation before him.

"What's going on here?" He asked and Maggie stifled a giggle behind her hand, while Harden elbowed her, looking at Jude with apprehension.

"Tag." Said Posey, as if it were obvious. "And you're it, _Colorado,_  so you better pick up the pace."

"Come on, Blondie." Said Jude impatiently, scowling as his anxiety slowly faded away. "What are you doing? We're wasting time."

"What, afraid you can't catch us? Is that it?" She asked with a smile, and Jude huffed irritably.

"Of course that's not it." He said crossly.

"Prove it." challenged Posey. "You tag me, game over. I just don't think you can catch me."

"Of course I can catch you."

Posey raised an eyebrow, a wicked little smirk curling her lips.

"Prove it."

 

Jude flew forward before he really had a grip on what he was doing, and both Posey and the children let out a squeal of delight before taking off.

"Run children!" Cried Posey gallantly, "Save yourself!"

The children laughed gleefully and split off, one going right and the other left, but Jude kept his eyes trained on Posey.

She really was quicker than he thought she'd be, and light on her feet. She ducked around Lucas Simms easily enough with a whoop and Jude had to skid to a halt in front of the man, who looked with wide eyes from Posey, to a panting Jude.

"Colorado, what the hell is-"

"Mornin' Sheriff." Said Jude, before stepping past him and taking off after Posey, who had run past Moriarty's Saloon and Jude felt himself grin, as Posey ran down towards the middle of town. She might be faster, but Jude knew Megaton better than she did.

He turned around and sped back the way he came, leaping down off the catwalk onto the roof of a shack. He crouched there and waited until Posey slowed down, looking around where he'd been with a frown, panting heavily and turning on the spot, trying to see where he'd gone. He waited until her back was to his shack and jumped down, landing silently in a crouch, and creeping forward, keeping low to the ground.

"Posey behind you!" Shouted Maggie, hanging on the railing above them with a laughing Harden.

Posey whirled around, her eyes wide and she let out a yelp and tried to leap away as Jude dove forward, a little too forcefully as he collided with her, wrapping his arms around her to prevent them both from tumbling to the ground.

They were both laughing, Jude could feel Posey reverberating with it before he drew back, panting.

"You only caught me," said Posey, gasping for air, "because you cheated."

"Don't be a sore loser," He said, straightening up and placing his hands on his hips. "Knowing the area doesn't count as cheating."

"Well, looks like I'm it again." Said Posey, blowing a stray lock of hair out of her face.

Jude widened his eyes and said hurriedly, "No tag backs, Blondie." before whirling around and sprinting away. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Posey looking after him, shock mingled with disbelief before a grin spread across her face and she let out a loud, clear laugh, tearing after him.

* * *

 

"Okay," Said Jude, falling back against the wall of Craterside Supply, "I forfeit. It's too damn hot for this."

"I agree." Panted Posey, collapsing next to him. "I surrender." Maggie and Harden cheered in their defeat of the grown-ups.

"Seriously Blondie, we've got to get our stuff and sell it to Moria and get going to Vault 112, to go after your dad."

Posey's smile dissolved and she pushed off the wall, "Right." She said.

She turned to Maggie and Harden and saluted them. "It's been an honor, soldiers. You were a worthy adversary."

"Good game." Said Maggie, saluting and giving her a smile as well.

"Good luck finding your dad." Added Harden.

Posey stared down at him for a moment, surprised before giving him a wide smile and a quick kiss on the cheek,

"Thanks, Harden," She said warmly, straightening up and ruffling his hair, or attempting to. His hair was very closely cropped to his scalp. Harden grinned almost dazedly and Maggie rolled her eyes dragging Harden away while Posey stifled a laugh. "Well," Said Posey turning to Jude with her hands on her hips, "shall we?"

"No time like the present, Blondie. Let's get a move on."

 

"Oh, you're back!" Cried Moria brightly, once she saw Posey stepping into Craterside Supply, "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you! Did you find your daddy yet? Are you ready to start some research?"

"Oh, um." Posey looked guiltily back at Jude who shrugged.

"I fiddled with that spare suit you gave me and I managed to get it armored too!" continued Moria, grinning widely and handing over the modified Vault 101 suit. "Looks like the one you're wearing got a little run down. Want me to fix it? I'd love to! Here let me see it, you change into this one."

Posey looked a little overwhelmed at the sudden burst of chatter but accepted the offered Vault suit gladly enough.

"I'm sorry, dear, I didn't even give you a chance to answer me! Silly me! Did you find your dad?" Asked Moria with a grin.

"No, Moria, I didn't." Said Posey regretfully. Moria's face fell so quickly it was almost comical, and Jude had to hold back a snort.

"Oh," Said Moria despondently, "That's okay, I guess my research will have to wait a little longer."

Posey bit her lip and looked back at Jude. He could almost see the gears turning in her mind and he shook his head, saying warningly, "Blondie..."

"Do you have something easy I can do for you? A quick little segment for your book?" Said Posey, ignoring him and turning to Moria with a smile.

Moria perked up instantly, her wide, manic smile back in place and she said, "Yeah of course! Tell me about the Vault life and how do you feel about radiation?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Radiation! I need you to contract some serious radiation poisoning, so I can test my treatment! I'm sure it works. I've tried it out on myself but I want to make sure it works for everyone!"

Jude groaned and Posey suddenly looked a little pale.

"You want me," She said slowly, "to get radiation sickness."

"200 hundred rads, minimum." chirped Moria. "Ideally 600. That would really test my cures capacity!"

"600 hundred rads?!" Said Posey, definitely going a few shades whiter.

"Don't worry! You'll be fine! My cure works wonders, I'm sure of it!"

"Blondie," Said Jude shortly, "this is ridiculous. This is ridiculous!" He said, addressing Moria this time. "600 rads? Do you know what that'll do to a person?!"

"Everybody knows what Radiation sickness does, Colorado." Said Moria impatiently. "But we'll nip it in the bud with my cure! Not to worry."

"What's the quickest way to get that amount of rads?" Asked Posey.

"Blondie, are you joking! What about finding your dad!"

"We will find my dad." Said Posey, "We'll leave right after this, you don't think it'll take long, do you Moria?"

"No, not at all!" Said Moria, beaming at Posey. "It'll be a jif! All you gotta do is drink some of that water by the bomb! It's so irradiated you won't have to worry about bacteria! That'll dose you up good! Your Pip-Boy can regulate how many rads you're getting and you'll be right within walking distance of my place. Here," Moria reached beneath her counter and pulled out a chipped, pint-sized beer mug and handed it to her. "take this, and fill 'er up."

"This is insane!" Said Jude, but Posey accepted the mug and gave Moria a forced smile, and turned and left. "Blondie!" said Jude angrily, after shooting Moria a glare, and he followed her out.

"Blondie, you're gonna die." Called Jude, stomping after her and scowling ferociously.

"Moria says she has a cure." She replied, walking up to the bomb and looking down at the puddle uneasily.

"Moria is insane! Don't-"

But Posey had already stooped down and downed a mug full of murky green water.

"Gah!" spluttered Posey, gagging. "Oh, my- Bleh! That's disgusting!"

"What are you doing!" cried Jude, but Posey had already chugged another mug's worth. He could hear her Pip-Boy's Gieger counter from where he stood, steadily ticking away.

"This is by far the dumbest thing you've ever done!" Pronounced Jude, folding his arms across his chest and shaking his head.

"Yeah well," Said Posey, grimacing down at her fourth draught. "It's still early."

"Why are you doing this?" Demanded Jude, "Do you have a death wish? How many times have I had to ask you that?"

"She gave me my suit!" Said Posey, her words slurring together slightly, "I'd be dead for sure if it weren't for her." She blinked and shook her head, wincing. "Why is the world so spinny?"

"Blondie,"

But Posey simply downed another cup, and another, and another.

"You're insane." Said Jude, as she went to fill her eighth cup.

"I know what 'm doin', Carolina." She said, raising the mug to her lips,

"No, you- Shit!" Jude leaped forward as she stumbled, catching her before she fell face first into the muddied puddle. "Blondie! Blondie, hey! Hey, look at me!" Posey's head lolled and her blue eyes seemed glazed over.

"Blondie!" Cried Jude, heedless of the irradiated water soaking into his jeans as he kneeled in the murky water, his arm tight around Posey's shoulders. Her Pip-Boy chirped and a flashing warning appeared on the screen.

_You have contracted 800 rads, immediate medical attention required._

"Son of a bitch," growled Jude. He brought one arm under her knees, the other under her shoulders and lifted her clumsily up into his arms, Moria's mug falling from her limp hand.

"You..." Said Posey groggily, struggling to keep Jude in focus. "Curse a lot, Jude. You know who else cursed a lot? Butch. You don't wanna be like Butch, Jude!"

Jude hurried up the ramp towards Craterside Supply, feeling his heart pound in his throat.

"Moria!" He roared, kicking the door, "This damn cure of yours better work or I swear to God!"

"Settle down Mr. Colorado!" Said Moria with a little frown as she opened the door, "Of course it'll, oh dear," Moria's eyes widened as she saw Posey's limp form in Jude's arms, and Jude's stormy expression. "she doesn't look good. Better take her to the back."

"I don't look good? It's the damn apocalypse," Mumbled Posey with a frown. "I thought I looked pretty good considering the circumstance." Already her cheeks were beginning to flush with fever and when Jude set her carefully down in the back, she stumbled and almost fell, unable to support herself on her sluggish limbs. "Whoops." She giggled as Jude caught her again. "Thanks, Jude, hey this is kinda like we're dancin'. Are we dancin'?"

"Sure, Blondie, we're dancing. Moria!" Snapped Jude, half supporting half dragging Posey to a cot set up in Moria's back room workshop, while she flitted around, getting her cure together. "Make it snappy!"

"I'm trying to, Mr. Colorado!" Said Moria, her voice strained.

"You're a very good dancer, Jude." Said Posey, as Jude lifted her up onto the cot. "Better than Freddy Gomez, even! Waaaaaaaaay better than Butch."

"Am I?" He asked distractedly, "Moria!"

"Mmmmm Hmmmm!" She said cheerfully, patting his cheek. "And you're so handsome! Did you know how handsome you are? You're way better looking than Butch. And you're so much nicer, even when you're grumpy."

Jude looked down at her, and found despite her dire situation, a smile tugging on his lips.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, "I'm nice, huh?"

"Real nice." Said Posey, blinking slowly, and her eyes actually got a little misty. "You're real nice, Jude." She sniffed, clumsily wiping her eyes. "You don't have to help me find my dad or teach me how to make good deals and shoot things, but you do anyway, you're so _so_ nice!" She patted Jude's arm awkwardly, her movements slow and ungainly.

"Got it!" Said Moria, rushing over and holding a tall glass full of a glutinous grayish liquid. "Here you go, dear. Drink up."

"No way!" Said Posey, wrinkling her nose. "That looks disgusting!"

"Drink it, Blondie." Said Jude, "Come on, be a good girl and drink it."

"You want me to drink that?" She said, looking at him with a frown.

"It's good." Lied Jude, "Moria made it for you."

"Is it a milkshake?" Asked Posey hopefully, "We had those down in the Vault you know. Powdered milk and ice cream of course but they were still real good."

"Yeah, it's a milkshake." Said Jude, taking the glass from Moria and taking Posey's hand in his free one, making sure she wrapped her hand around it. He helped her hold it up to her mouth as she slowly drained the entire glass.

Both Moria and Jude leaned in as she finished it and wiped her hand on the back of her mouth, looking up at them with a dazed smile.

"Well?" Said Moria, her eyes wide.

"That," Said Posey, giving a slight hiccup. "was horrendous."

Her eyes rolled back and she went limp, the glass shattering as it fell from her hand.

"Posey?" Said Jude, shaking her shoulder. "Posey!" She didn't stir and Jude looked towards Moria eyes wide, and suddenly furious. "You killed her! Damn it Moria-"

"I did not!" Said Moria, frowning at him. "She's breathing fine! She'll wake up tomorrow and be right as rain! Bring her by tomorrow morning, and I'll give her a little check up just to be sure!"

Jude looked back at Posey and placed two fingers on her neck, and relaxed minimally when he felt her steady pulse.

"If she doesn't pull through this," Said Jude warningly, "or if she gets some, third arm or something."

"She'll be fine." Said Moria impatiently. "I'm sure of it! Bring her in tomorrow, and I'll give her a check up maybe another dose of the cure, and she can tell me how she feels."

Jude glowered at her, but said, gruffly. "Fine. But I've got some stuff to sell to you before I leave, and you better give me a hell of a good price."

* * *

 

Jude brought Posey back to the house and laid her carefully down in the 'master bedroom' instructing Wadsworth to keep a very very close watch on her, and set to preparing for their trek to Vault 112. He'd bought some supplies from Moria, and he laid them out on the floor down in the main room. Plenty of ammo, some food for the trek, and some med supplies, although he'd get Stimpacks and Med-X from Gob, who gave him a discount.

Having done that, Jude looked around the room, biting his lip and drumming his fingers against his thigh. There was nothing really else for him to do. Who knew how long Posey was going to be out for. He mulled over his options. He didn't really want to leave just Wadsworth with her. How could he come get Jude if she woke up or if something bad happened?

"Wadsworth!" He called, "I'm going out! I'll be right back though, keep your eye on Posey!"

"Yes, of course, sir!" Called Wadsworth brightly. "It will not waver, sir!"

"It better not, or I'll break it off." Growled Jude, before heading over to the door and wrenching it open.

He headed straight for Moriarty's, glancing around the poorly lit place before he found just the person he was looking for.

"Nova!" He said, striding over to her. "I need to hire you."

Nova, and Gob who was fiddling with the radio, both looked up in surprise.

"Sure thing, sugar." Said Nova, her voice as usual, husky and seductive. "Must say, I'm a little surprised, thought-"

"No no no no," Said Jude shaking his head. "I'm not gonna sleep with you."

"Shame," Said Nova dryly, although she did look a bit disappointed. "What do you mean hire me, then?"

"I'll pay your fee or whatever, but I need you to go to Posey's house and watch her for me while I do some work for Walter."

Nova raised an eyebrow, "You want me to babysit your girlfriend while you go to work?" She said in disbelief.

"She's sick." Said Jude with a frown. "Real sick. Like an idiot, she agreed to help Moria out with some psychotic research and Moria about killed her with Radiation Poisoning. Moria gave her a cure, and it seemed to have worked but she's out like a light and I just want to make sure she doesn't, I dunno, choke on her own vomit or sprout an extra head or something."

"What am I supposed to do if she does sprout an extra head?" Asked Nova,

"Come get me, at the water treatment plant and I'll figure something out. And she's not my girlfriend." Added Jude, as an afterthought.

Nova smirked, "You're sure goin' through a lot of through a lot of trouble if she ain't."

Jude scowled and handed over a hundred and twenty caps.

"Here, she's in the house above the Brass Lantern, there's a robot named Wadsworth watching over her right now. Tell him I sent you."  
"Sure thing, handsome." Said Nova, getting to her feet. "This'll be the easiest money I've made in a while. You sure you're not just asking for a threesome? Cuz those cost extra, hon."

"Would you just get going." Said Jude witheringly, and Nova smirked again before making her way out of the bar.

"Hey, where ya sendin' my whore?" Demanded Moriarty, glowering over at Jude.

"I paid her agreed price, Moriarty, calm down." Said Jude with a scowl. "She's just gonna go watch over something for me for a couple of hours."

"Oh yeah, and what would that somethin' be?" asked Moriarty, folding his arms across his chest and raising an eyebrow.

"Posey's sick, and I need someone to make sure she's alright while I take care of some things."

Moriarty smirked, "So, you and the Vaultie huh? Tell me, she any good to tumble with?"

Jude glowered, his hands curling into fists. "Ain't like that, Moriarty. She's payin' me to help her find her dad."

"Liar." Said Moriarty, his dark eyes glittering. "That girl didn't have two caps to rub together when she was here last, and you're no merc."

"Simms paid her for disarming that bomb. Besides, you don't know what I am."

"But I know what you aren't, and that's a good liar."

"Go heckle someone else," Said Jude sourly, and Moriarty laughed before moving on down the bar.

"So she's sick, huh?" Asked Gob once Moriarty was out of earshot. "She gonna be alright?"

"Moria seemed to think so." Said Jude wearily, sitting himself down on a stool. "She seems alright. Pulse is fine, breathing is fine. Hope she wakes up alright. She was a little, out of it, before she crashed."

"Well, I hope she pulls through. She's a real nice gal. Good kid."

"Yeah..." Said Jude thoughtfully, drawing his hand over his face, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Yeah, she's a good kid. Too good, sometimes."

"How do ya mean?" Asked Gob, looking questioningly down at Jude.

"I dunno, it's just... She doesn't care what happens to her, so long as she's doing is 'what's right'. She'd tear out her own heart if she thought it'd help some poor bastard. She has no idea what the words 'self-preservation' means...Actually," Amended Jude "she probably does, 'cause she's an egghead."

"You sure she's not your girl?" Asked Gob, his lipless mouth twisting into a smirk.

Jude gave him a half-hearted glare. Gob laughed, which sounded like he was hacking up a lung.

"Just sayin' Colorado, you're sure puttin' in a lotta time for this girl. Specially since I know she ain't payin' you." He said, picking up a bottle of whiskey and pouring him a glass. "Here, you look like you need this."

"It's really not like that," Insisted Jude. "She's not my girl. I've never even kissed her."

"Yeah, but do ya want to? That's the trick." Said Gob with a smirk.

Jude scowled and Gob laughed again,

"Easy there, man if looks could kill... I'll stop ribbin' ya, she's a great gal. You're a lucky man."

"Did you listen to any of the words that I just said?" Demanded Jude, setting his whiskey down. "You know what, whatever, I came here for some Stimpacks. Give me six, and two Med-X. Add it to my tab."

He downed his drink as Gob got what he asked, grimacing as the burn slid over his tongue and down his throat. He handed over the caps as Gob passed him the meds.

"Thanks, Gob, I'll see ya around."

"You be good to her, Colorado." Said Gob with a smile and Jude rolled his eyes before stepping out of the bar.

 

It was early evening, the sun just starting to set as Jude headed up to the Water Treatment plant, his pack stuffed full of the scrap metal he and Posey had collected while they were out in the Wastes.

"Walter! Brought you some scrap!" He called, once he opened the door.

"Haven't you got better things to do than bring me junk?" Demanded the old man, looking up from the filter he'd been tinkering with and wiping his hands down on his jumpsuit. "I hear your girl's sick with radiation."

"Oh my-" Growled Jude, throwing his pack down with a clattering crash. "Not you too! This whole damn town is filled with gossips!"

"Not much else to do." Chuckled Walter, picking up his pack and whistling appreciatively at all the scrap metal inside. "Besides, that girl's the talk of the town. She saved it after all. Disarmed the bomb, and sent Mister Burke packing. You know he was planning to blow this place up?"

" _She_ sent Burke packing!" Said Jude indignantly.

"Yep, high tailed it outta here with his tail between his legs."

"Oh, did he now." Grumbled Jude, folding his arms across his chest and scowling.

"So they say. She must be quite the lady."

"Oh, she's something alright." Said Jude under his breath. "You got any work for me, Walter?"

"Sure do, get out of that armor of yours, I need out to crawl under the pump and tighten a few valves for me. Not mention I got a few more leaks sprung up. I better to put you to work while I gotcha here. If I had a doll like that waitin' for me, I wouldn't be-"

"Give me that wrench," Said Jude, pointing to his work table. "And Walter?"

"Yeah, boy?"

"Shut up."

* * *

 

 

"Come along, Posey. You've got to keep up!"

Posey blinked in surprise, looking at her father who was walking briskly up a starkly familiar hallway.

"Dad?" She croaked, taking a step forward, but James' pace didn't falter. "Dad, where are we?"

"Why, we're in the Vault. Where else would we be?" He said, turning and raising his eyebrows at her, gesturing around for her to see the rounded steel walls and fluorescent lights that made up her childhood home. "Now come on, we're going to be late."

"For what?" She tried to ask but he'd taken off, up the hall and down a corridor. Posey jogged after him but suddenly felt rooted to the spot as she heard a distinctive yowl and a feral ghoul came skulking around the corner. It saw her and let out a savage, guttural cry, spittle flying from its decaying lips as it threw itself at her, talon-like hands outstretched and menacing. "Dad!" She shouted, raising an arm that would be a pointless shield against its onslaught but she felt nothing. When she opened her eyes, she was out in the blistering hot Wasteland, the sun beating down on her head and soaking into her skin. She stumbled, falling into the cracked dirt, causing a plume of dust to billow around her, settling in her lungs. She felt as if her tongue were made of sandpaper and her throat felt blistered as she inhaled the scorching air. A shadow fell over her, and she looked up into the face of Jude, who was giving her a look tantamount to loathing.

"I told you, Blondie." He said, crouching down in front of her, picking up a handful of the powdery dirt and letting the dust flow between his fingers. "Flowers don't grow in the Wasteland." His green eyes were boring into her and she felt like she was withering away, the sun too hot, burning her eyelids. Her arms quivered beneath her and suddenly gave out, and she slumped forward, but when she hit the ground, she felt cold metal under her cheek.

She opened her eyes, sitting up and looking around at the walls of Vault 101. But this was drastically different than the place she'd grown up. Mangled bodies hung from meat hooks, bodies Posey recognized as Vault residents she'd known all her life. She recoiled, fighting the urge to vomit. The usual pristine metal walls were corroded and spattered with blood. There was a cry of pain further ahead and Posey ran towards it. Raiders, the ones from the metro, and the ones she'd fought and killed on her way to Megaton were slumped against the walls of the Vault. They were either dead or dying, shrinking back when they saw her face, begging and pleading, "Don't! Please don't hurt me!"

"I-" Posey stuttered, "I'm not-"

"Posey!" Came an anguished cry and she whirled around, suddenly finding herself at the Vault's door. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her father, battered and bloodied, standing just outside the Vault.

"Dad!" She cried, stepping forward, hand outstretched and she jerked to a stop, looking down in horror at her hands. Thick, dark red blood, sliding down her pale fingers. Smeared across her scarred palms. It still warm and Posey looked up at her father, her breath catching in her throat. James stepped back, eyes wide and the door started to grind shut.

"Posey," He said brokenly, "what have you done?"

"Dad! Dad, wait!" But the door was closing and she was running too slow and the door closing too fast, the screech of metal on metal loud in her ears. Someone grabbed her shoulder and shook her. The raider's face was inches from hers, rotted teeth bared,

"You killed us! You killed us all!"

 

"Blondie! Blondie wake up!"

Posey sat up with a strangled gasp, her heart stuttering, and chest heaving. Slowly, an unfamiliar room came into focus as did Jude's face, looking down at her with a slight frown.

"You're gonna wake the whole Wasteland, shouting like that."

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry." Stuttered Posey, suddenly feeling weak and dizzy. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms tight around them. She'd never had a dream that vivid before, never. Her father told her that when she was a child she'd had night terrors, but eventually, she'd outgrown them. Maybe they were coming back.

"Yeah, you better be, It's not often I can sleep without worrying about some skeeze trying to paw through my stuff," Said Jude, letting go of her shoulder and sitting back so he was leaning against the wall at the end of her bed. He was dressed, or rather not dressed, in what she was coming to realize as his pajamas, that was to say his boxers and a dingy white tee shirt, still with a blood stain on the shoulder. Posey stared at the rusted stain until it burned green into her retinas.

He continued. "or a raider trying to paint the walls with my guts."

At the mention of raiders, Posey flinched, screwing her eyes tight shut and attempting to push the images of the twisted remains back in the metro out of her mind.

"I'm joking, Blondie. You're fine." Said Jude, almost gently. "Well, I hope you're fine. How are you feeling?"

_Clammy, traumatized and sick to my stomach._

"Fine." She said, looking around, "Where are we?"

"Your house in Megaton," Said Jude with a frown. "You sure you're alright? What's the last thing you remember?"

"Um," Posey frowned, thinking hard. "drinking that really gross puddle water." She grimaced; her mouth tasted even worse now. "Everything after that's a little fuzzy." She mumbled, shaking her head.

"You don't remember anything after that?" Asked Jude, and for some reason, a smile hovered on the edge of his mouth. "Nothing at all? Nothing you said?"

"No..." Said Posey slowly, "Why, should I?"

"No, I suppose not." Said Jude sitting back with a smile. "You sure you're all right? You don't remember how you felt when you got 800 rads packed into your system?"

"800!" Croaked Posey, feeling sick all over again. "How am I alive?!"

"Moria's cure." Said Jude with a shrug. "She'll be disappointed you don't remember much."

"Well, it might come back to me later." Said Posey.

"Let's hope so." Said Jude with a grin, getting to his feet. Posey raised an eyebrow and followed suit, her head spinning as she stood.

"You're certainly chipper this morning." She said warily, stretching her arms above her head, closing her eyes as her muscles pulled uncomfortably.

"What can I say," Said Jude with a shrug, "I had a good night's sleep, and your robot makes good coffee."

"What time is it, anyway?" asked Posey, grabbing her Pip-Boy off the nearby desk and fastening it to her wrist.

"Little after eight," Answered Jude, "perfect timing. We'll grab our gear, grab some grub and go."

"I've got to go tell Moria that her cure worked and everything."

"Oh yeah," Said Jude, frowning slightly. "fine, we'll go see Moria. But no more research!"

"No more research." Agreed Posey wearily.

 

The pair of them now suited up, Jude in his leather armor, Posey in her new Armored Vault suit and Tunnel Snakes jacket on her shoulders, made their way to Craterside Supply.

"Morning Moria." Said Posey, as they entered. Moria looked up from a rather dangerous looking contraption contrived out of a lunchbox and a couple of batteries and grinned widely when she saw them.

"See Colorado I told you she'd be fine!" She said brightly, abandoning her project and coming around the counter with her wide, manic grin firmly in place. "Tell me, how do you feel? How did you feel yesterday?"

"I feel fine now," Said Posey honestly, "a bit of a headache, but really, I'm fine. I don't remember much from yesterday, I'm afraid. It's a little fuzzy. I remember feeling really tired, and it was hard to focus. If I remember anything else, I'll record it and bring you back the notes."

"Will you?" Said Moria gleefully, "Oh, thanks a bunch! Oh, and um." Moria looked a little sheepish, "Yesterday, while I was fixing you up, I noticed a teeny, tiny, um, mutation."

"What!" Demanded both Posey and Jude, Posey felt suddenly woozy all over again.

"You certainly failed to share that little tidbit yesterday!" Said Jude, glowering at Moria.

"It's nothing serious!" Said Moria hurriedly, "You have a much higher resistance to radiation now! So that's good, right? And, and!" She continued as Jude looked almost murderous at this point. "When under the effects of advanced radiation poisoning any crippled limbs or other wounds you have will start to heal themselves!"

"What?" Said Posey in disbelief, and Jude looked stunned.

"How the hell is that even possible?" Asked Jude, frowning.

"Who knows!" Said Moria with a shrug, her manic smile slowly crawling back up on her face. "Radiation is very unpredictable. But exciting, right! This is all definitely going in the book! Especially once you remember your entire experience!"

"Oh, yeah, definitely put that in there." Said Jude with a grin. Posey shot him a questioning look over her shoulder before turning back to Moria, who was chattering away, oblivious to Jude.

"Come back once you've found your daddy and we can move onto the other sections!" She said brightly,

"Oh," Said Posey, feeling a little sinking feeling, "I don't know, I'm-"

"Buh-bye now!" Said Moria, pushing Posey towards the door.

"Moria!"

But the woman was stronger than she looked and soon enough she found herself outside of Craterside Supply, and Moria was waving wildly before slamming the door shut.

"That woman." Said Jude, once the door was closed, "Is insane. Do you know who else is insane? _You_ , because you listened to her."

"I promised her I would help!" Said Posey, "How was I to know that help would involve nearly killing myself!

"I'm not having this conversation with you right now." Said Jude, shaking his head. "Come on, let's get a move on unless there's anyone else you want to see while we're here."

Posey looked up at the saloon, frowning as she read 'Moriarty's' across the building.

"Yeah," She said, looking back at Jude. "There actually is one more person that I'd like to see."

* * *

 

"Hey, Gob." Called Posey with a grin, taking a seat at the bar and completely breezing past Moriarty without sparing him so much as a glance. Gob grinned back widely, setting down the bottle he'd been holding and saying:

"Hey, Smoothskin! Glad to see you up and around! Heard you were a bit under the weather."

"A bit," Said Posey ruefully, as Jude took a seat beside her, resting his combat shotgun between his knees.

"Well, you look right as rain now, glad to see that witch's brew of Moria's actually worked. What can I get for ya? A beer? Scotch? Whiskey? What's your poison, Vaultie?"

"Never tried any of them, actually." Said Posey with a shrug. "I think I'll stick to Nuka-Cola for the time being if you've got one."

Gob chuckled dryly and reached under the counter, pulling out a very dusty bottle of Nuka-Cola.

"We've got exactly one, two caps please."

Posey passed over the money and watched as Gob pulled a bottle opener from his back pocket and cracked open her soda for her, passing it and the now bent cap over to her, shooting her a conspiratorial wink as Posey pocketed the cap.

"Hey Gob," She repeated running her finger along the rim of her soda and unable to keep a smile from her face. "I've got a proposition for you."

Jude gave her a curious look and Gob paused in his act of placing her caps in the till.

"Sims gave me a house," She said feeling her smile widen, she couldn't wait to see his _face_. "It's pretty nice. Two rooms, a Mr. Handy Robot called Wadsworth, and a fridge even. But, I'm gonna be outta town for a while, and I don't know when I'm gonna be back. Even when I do get back, I don't know how long I'm gonna stay, and I don't really need two rooms. Ju-" She caught herself as she felt Jude stiffen next to her and she quickly corrected it "Colorado, I mean might stay over a few times, but, what I'm saying is, Gob you can stay there. At my house. You don't have to live here and have Moriarty charge you room and board. Stay at my place, while you pay off your debt to Moriarty."

Gob stared at her, open-mouthed and Jude looked from the ghoul to her and back again, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Ya... Ya mean it, Smoothskin?" Said Gob, his voice sounding even rougher than usual.

"Yeah, I do. I really mean it." Said Posey with a smile. "Be my housesitter, watch over the place for me. No rent, no charge."

Gob's milky eyes looked overbright and he cleared his throat, dropping his gaze to the till in front of him as he dropped her caps in and slid the drawer shut.

"Posey, I can't, I-I-"

"Why not Gob!" She leaned forward over the bar, eyes pleading, "I'm hardly ever gonna be there, maybe a night or two here or there but other than that the place'll be empty! Go ahead, Gob. Here." she reached across the bar and pressed her spare house key into Gob's hand. His skin felt chapped and paper thin, but it was warm as she brought her other hand up to close his skeletal fingers over it.

"Take it." She said, smiling up at him.

Gob stared down at her, jaw clenched and eyes wide. He swallowed, the muscles visible in his face and neck clenching, but Posey didn't flinch.

"Posey," He croaked, "I...I dunno what to say."

"So don't say anything." Said Posey with a shrug, sitting back on her stool. "Except that you'll stay. You can eat at Jenny's stall. You don't have to eat here. Don't give Moriarty any more money than you have to."

Gob continued to stare down at her, and Posey thought his eyes might have been full of tears, though it was difficult to tell with his milky lenses.

"I really oughtta up your discount, Vaultie." He said at last with a shaky smile. Posey merely grinned and took a swig of her Nuka-Cola.

"Ah, The Hero of Megaton graces us with her presence."

Posey turned and saw Moriarty standing over her, his dark eyes glittering and smirk firmly in place.

"Watcha doin' here, lassie. Aren't ya supposed to be lookin' for your daddy?"

"I'm on my way to go after a lead right now." Said Posey. "I'm just hiring Gob here to house sit for me while I'm away."

Moriarty looked over her shoulder at Gob, who ducked his head and shrunk back from the bar.

"Is that so?" Drawled Moriarty. "Well Gob, as you can see, is already employed."

"He'll just sleep over there, keep an eye on things for me. He won't need to stay here, anymore, Moriarty. You can rent out his room now." Said Posey, turning around completely on her stool and getting to her feet. Moriarty had a quite a few inches on her, but Posey didn't balk at his glare.

"How generous of you." Said Moriarty, narrowing his eyes.

"Beneficial to us all." Said Posey with a shrug.

Moriarty snorted, "So you're shacking up with the zombie now, huh? What, Colorado over there ain't enough for you? Thought you had taste, lassie."

Jude made to get to his feet but Posey gave him a hard look, though she felt she was blushing.

"I'm not shacking up with anyone," Said Posey, glaring up at Moriarty. "Gob is my friend and I need someone to watch my place."

Moriarty glowered down at her and Posey returned his stare, balling her fists in her Tunnel Snake jacket pockets.

"Looks like you've got a new place then, Gob." Said Moriarty at last, looking back at him and Posey felt her muscles relax slightly, leaning back against her stool. "I expect to you to have your shit out of here by tonight and scrub that room clean. No one with an ounce of self-respect will want to take that room if it's still got your foul stench all over it."

"Yes, sir." Said Gob, coming round the counter and picking up a rag and a box of Abraxo cleaner. As he passed them, Moriarty grabbed his upper arm tight and said, low and fast

"But you listen to me, you still owe me. You're still in it up to your eyeballs and you work for me. Don't you forget it, ya rotting piece of filth."

He released Gob as though burned by him and wiped his hand down the front of his shirt with a look of disgust as Gob scurried away and Posey felt a simmering rage bubble under her skin, flushing her cheeks even more.

"He's aware of that, Moriarty." Said Posey coldly, "You'll get your debt paid."

"Oh," Moriarty smirked causing Posey's scowl to deepen. "I know I will."

He walked away and Posey glowered at his retreating back as Jude got to his feet, also keeping his eyes on Moriarty, who disappeared into his back room.

"Let's get the hell out of her, Blondie." He mumbled, and Posey nodded once, giving Gob one last wave before making a beeline for the door.

* * *

 

"Well, that was real decent of you, Blondie." Said, Jude, as the two of them exited the gates of Megaton and headed directly West, almost along the same path that Posey had traversed her first time out of Vault 101. Posey kicked a stray pebble out of their path, watching it send up a plume of dust in its wake.

"You think?" She asked with a slight frown.

"Yeah, I do. Not that I'm surprised at all."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Asked Posey, looking up at him with a frown.

"Nothing, I guess. Just you always seem to do the decent thing."

"Well, yeah." Said Posey, looking back at the Wasteland around them, taking in the scrubby brush and burned out trees with a scowl. "You say that almost like it's a bad thing."

"Sometimes it is." Said Jude, looking down at her with knitted eyebrows. "Moriarty does a lot more than just get Megaton drunk you know."

"Are you saying I shouldn't have helped Gob?" Demanded Posey, jumping atop a rather large boulder impeding their route.

"No," Said Jude patiently, sidestepping the boulder and looking back at her, squinting against the sun. "I'm just saying you need to watch who's toes you step on. Moriarty is nothing compared to Burke, but you need to be careful, Blondie. As I've said multiple times."

Posey hopped down off her perch with a sigh, "I know. And I'm trying, honestly, I am. I just..." She shook her head and walked forward to catch up with him, "I hate Moriarty!" She burst out at last. "I hate him! I hate his stupid accent, and his stupid goatee and I hate the way he talks to Gob! I hate the way he talks to anyone! He reminds me of The Overseer back in Vault 101. He thinks he's better than everyone else because he has a modicum of power and I hate it!"

"Easy, Blondie." Said Jude with a little smirk, "Tell me how you really feel."

Posey allowed herself a laugh and shook her head, pulling her borrowed cap down more snugly on her head.

"Sorry, I just... He gets under my skin." She muttered, shoving her hands back into her pockets. "In a way that I've never encountered apart from Butch Deloria."

"Who is this Butch?" Asked Jude, propping his gun on his shoulder and looking down at her, and again he had an odd smile playing about his lips. "You sure mention him a lot."

"I do?" Asked Posey with a frown. "I didn't think so."

"Yesterday you had a lot to say about him, and a Freddy Gomez, I believe."

Posey blushed and looked up at him, aghast. "How do you know about Freddy?"

"Like I said, you were certainly talkative yesterday." His grin widened and he looked very pleased with himself as he shifted his shotgun and carried on up the lane.

"When?" Demanded Posey, jogging to keep up with his long strides. "I don't..." Her eyes widened as she had a hazy recollection of Moria's back room and feeling very tired and feverish, and when she got feverish...Well, her father had said it was rather comparable to what happened when people had a bit too much to drink. "Oh no." She breathed, feeling her cheeks grow if it were even possible, even pinker. "Oh noooo, what did I say!" She wailed, placing her hands over her cheeks and wishing the ground would open and swallow her up.

"I'm not gonna tell you," Said Jude with a laugh, "You just gotta remember, Blondie. So, who's Butch? Your boyfriend?"

Posey gagged in response and Jude chuckled again. "Okay," He said, shifting his gun onto his other shoulder and looking out over the Wasteland. "so not him. Was it Freddy? Was Freddy your boyfriend?"

"No," Said Posey primly, "not that it's any of your business."

"Did you want him to be your boyfriend?" Teased Jude, "Tell me, Blondie. Was he a good dancer?"

"How could you possibly know about that!" Cried Posey, wishing she could stop blushing. "And no, I didn't want him to be my boyfriend. Not really, anyway. Well, I mean we had a date planned but I thought that must have been some kind of prank, I mean he-" She cut off, wondering if the heat in her cheeks could get any warmer or if she was just getting a sunburn again. Jude was grinning widely as they crossed the cracked asphalt baking in the Wasteland sun, that made up the road that Posey recognized as the one just below the entrance to the Vault. She glanced up the winding path, feeling her heart pinch at their proximity to Vault 101. An image from her dream flashed before her eyes and Posey flinched in spite of herself, shaking her head to disperse the memory of blood splattered walls and mangled corpses.

"You miss it?" Asked Jude, and Posey looked back at him, brows furrowed and a frown tugging on her lips.

"The Vault?" She inquired, and Jude nodded. She looked out ahead of their path, taking in the sunbaked dirt and skeletal trees thrusting up towards the surprisingly clear blue sky. She could feel the sun soaking into her skin, yet it wasn't uncomfortable, even with her Tunnel Snakes jacket on. The air was crisp and peculiarly cool, and there was a breeze lifting her hair from her face and chasing a few wisps of cloud across the horizon. "No," She said thoughtfully. "not really. Sometimes, I suppose. I'm glad I left when I did. Staying there without my dad would have been awful. There are some things I miss though."

"Like milkshakes?" Asked Jude with a grin.

"Yeah, like-" She glared up at him. "How do you know about milkshakes?! What are you hiding, Colorado?"

"I'm not hiding anything. It's you who's repressing it."

Posey glared at him and vowed to remain silent for the rest of their trek.

"Oh come on, Blondie." Said Jude bracingly after a minute or two passed in silence. "Tell me about life down in the Vault. I won't even sell our interview to Moria for her book. It can be between us."

Posey's lips twitched in a smile before she fixed them firmly in a scowl. "Why don't we talk about your childhood?"

"Nothing to talk about." Said Jude, "Typical Wasteland upbringing, shitty and emotionally scarring."

"I doubt that."

"Oh really," Said Jude raising an eyebrow. "you don't think my childhood was emotionally scarring?" Jude snorted, "You don't wanna know, Blondie. And I'm not talking about it, it was a long time ago."

"So?" She protested, "My childhood was a long time ago!"

Jude scoffed. "Your childhood technically ended two years ago." He said looking down at her. "You're still practically a kid, Blondie."

"I'm nineteen, that's not a kid. You're not that much older than me."

"I'm six years older than you."

"So?"

He shook his head, "We're not going there, Blondie. We're just not."

Posey scowled but remembered how Jude had looked at her back at the Jefferson Memorial. He'd seemed, fragile, almost. Fractured, in a way, and too close to breaking. What would it have been like, growing up in the Wasteland?

_Probably shitty and emotionally scarring_. She thought glumly. At least this time, Jude hadn't gotten as defensive as he had before when she'd tried to pry into his past, that was definitely an improvement. Though glancing up at him, she could see a muscle jumping in his jaw as he had it clenched, his knuckles white on the shaft of his shotgun. He was a coiled spring, and Posey didn't want to be the one to cause him to snap.

"I miss my friends mostly, from the Vault." She said, looking back down at the ground in front of her. "I only really had two, but I miss them."

"Freddy one of your friends?"

She glanced back up at Jude and was glad to see that he had relaxed somewhat, the muscle stopped jumping,  though he still remained wary, and he didn't look down at her as they walked.

"Sort of. It was...complicated. There was a gang, down in the Vault. A bunch of wannabe badasses called themselves the Tunnel Snakes."

Jude snorted and Posey smiled. "Yeah, I know. They had matching jackets and everything. Their 'Leader' was Butch Deloria. For some reason, I never could figure out why, Butch hated me growing up, and basically up until I left the Vault."

"What was Butch's life like?" Asked Jude, "What were his parents like?"

"Well, I'm not sure what happened to his dad. I think he died when Butch and I were really young, and his mom...well she was a piece of work. Alcoholic, I think."

"Well, no wonder he hated you." Said Jude, shifting his pack on his shoulders as they started up a slight incline. "From what I'm guessing, you and your dad were pretty close."

"Yeah, really close." Said Posey with a frown.

"And he was good to you."

"The best."

"Well, look what Butch had. A missing father and an alcoholic mother. Your dad loved you, and you loved him, and Butch wanted that but knew he'd never get it so it turned him bitter. Classic bully material, you find it all over the Wastes."

Posey stared up at Jude, mouth agape. "Did...Did you just make me feel, _sympathy_ for my childhood bully?"

"I dunno, did I?" He asked, looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, I think you did." Said Posey in disbelief.

"Hmm, didn't necessarily mean to. But alright. So, let me guess, good ole' Freddy was a Tunnel Snake."

"He really wanted to be. Most of the boys in our grade were. There was only three of them, so it wasn't that big of a deal, I guess. Butch, Paul Hannon Jr., and Wally Mack. Wally was the worst, he was the only one who I really felt could be dangerous. The rest of them were just rustling up trouble, but Wally," Posey shuddered, "Wally liked pain. I remember once, when I was going down to practice with my BB gun, I found him down on the reactor level, pulling apart a Radroach. The only time in my life I felt bad for a roach. Poor thing was trembling and shuddering, while Wally pulled each of its legs off, then laughed." She shook herself again, "Man, I forgot about that. He was messed up. All of the Macks' were. His sister Suzie was a witch. She didn't notice me much, which suited me just fine. I can hardly blame her for being the way she was with Wally as a brother, she probably had to learn how to be mean early on."

Jude didn't say anything for a while, mulling over the details before saying at last,

"Ya know, it doesn't sound so different from up here, actually. I mean it was probably cleaner, and you had purified water so at least radiation wasn't making you crazy. Just each other."

"I guess not." Said Posey, "People are still people, whether their Vaulties or Wastelanders."

"How poetic." Said Jude, smirking down at her. "You still haven't told me about your friends yet."

"Oh, right. Well like I said, I only had two. Amata and Jonas. Amata was The Overseer's daughter, but the two of us were best friends from the time we could walk, practically. Amata's mom had died when she was little too, so that was what brought us together. She could actually remember hers though, just barely. Jonas was my dad's lab assistant and Medical Technician. He was about eight years older than me, kind of like an older brother. He teased me a lot, but he taught me how to hack computers and pick locks, and he helped my dad fix up my BB gun for my birthday."

She swallowed hard. The memory of his death still stung, and what was worse was that Posey forgot, sometimes, that he had died.

"So I guess what I miss from The Vault is that things were easier then." Said Posey quietly, watching the ground ahead of her, "I didn't have half the worries that I do now. Things can never really go back to the way they were, even if...when," She corrected herself, "I find my dad."

"Would you want to go back, once you find him?" Asked Jude, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.

"Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to. The Overseer would not look kindly on me or my dad trying to go back. He never liked my dad, and the feeling was mutual. Plus," she looked back up at the sky, pausing for a moment to take it in, the vast, limitless depths staring back at her. "there are some perks, being topside." She looked back at him and said with a wry smile. "The company ain't half bad."

"Yeah?" He said, stopping as well and looking down at her with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah. Gob's really a great guy, and that was a killer game of tag Maggie and Harden set up."

Jude rolled his eyes and started walking again but Posey caught the smile on his lips and grinned back.

"Come on, Blondie, we've-"

_Crack_

Something warm and wet splattered across Posey's arm and Jude crumpled.

"Jude!" She shrieked, her heart immediately leaping into her throat but there were more gunshots and bullets scattered around them, sending up miniature mushroom clouds of dust each time they struck the ground and Posey raised her Assault Rifle and started firing, the automatic action jarring her shoulder as the group of three raiders came rushing down the steep incline, while two stayed behind at the craggy outcropping of rock they'd no doubt been hiding behind.

She felt a hand close tight around her upper arm and start to drag her back as Jude shouted,

"Take this, you scummy bastards!"

He hurled something towards them and turned, running further up the path as there was a deafening boom and a plume of dirt rocketed into the air followed by cries of pain.

"Get down!" Growled Jude, yanking her down behind a rock with him and scowling as he readied another grenade.

"Are you-"

"Later!" He hissed. His eyes were hard, and his lips curled in a snarl, it almost made Posey shrink back but she turned and swapped her Assault Rifle to her Hunting one, strapped to her back. She picked off the two stragglers from Jude's initial assault and looked up to outcropping, but no one was coming down. Not that she could blame them. She thought she saw a flash of an arm and saw something arc towards them and Jude shouted

"Shit! MOVE!"

They split off, Posey diving to the right and Jude to the left as the Frag Grenade landed where they'd been crouching and exploded, sending a shower of dirt raining down on her as she skidded across the Wasteland gravel. She scrambled to her feet and saw Jude running up to the outcropping and quickly followed suit, her heart pounding and ears ringing. Jude's left arm, the one exposed by his leather armor, was slick with blood and her jacket, from where he'd gripped her arm, was tacky with it as well.

He reached the outcropping first and without hesitation, blasted the nearest raider, who crumpled without a sound. Another came around the rock but Posey raised her rifle and with a sharp crack, she fell as well, sliding down the embankment, eyes glassy and body twitching.

Jude spat on the ground, still scowling at the now fallen raiders. Posey looked up at him, feeling sick and dizzy and wishing they were back in Megaton, wishing they were laughing together with Gob instead of this. Anything but this. She almost preferred the Metro or the D.C ruins, surrounded by feral ghouls and Super Mutants.

"Jude," She said, her voice quaking. "Let me see your arm."

"No, let's see what these scumbags had first." Said Jude disdainfully, hauling himself up behind the rocks and Posey followed, her stomach churning. She could feel her pulse in her neck and where her ear had been grazed.

Jude was crouched behind the boulder the raiders had been skulking behind, pawing through ammo boxes and a rusted metal tool box when Posey saw him.

"Jude!" She shouted as the last raider leaped from his hiding place, a wickedly long knife in his filthy hand. Posey didn't pause to think. She grabbed Jude's shoulder and hauled him back as the Raider sailed towards them. His knife clashed against the rock where Jude had been crouching and Posey leapt forward, grinding her foot into his hand, pinning it and the knife to the rocks below and held her rifle's trembling barrel up to his forehead.

A pair of large hazel eyes stared up at her, widened even more in fear and Posey stared down at the raider before her. Her heart thudded, and a drop of sweat slid down her spine and she could feel her own lips pulled back in a snarl, not unlike Jude's had been. Every impulse in her screamed to pull the trigger, to end it. Her finger twitched.

He was young. Perhaps younger than her, even. His scrawny body clad in a ragged shirt that was slipping off his shoulder, and Posey could see his clavicle, painfully prominent, as well as his ribs, his dusty skin taught against them. He was staring up at her, blinking rapidly. Tears streamed down his face, cutting tracks in the grime. Greenish gray irises that faded to brown towards the pupil. He had a dusting of freckles across his nose...

Posey's stomach lurched and she took a hasty step back, feeling a sob build at the back of her throat. The boy looked back up at her, and...smiled. He had a gap between his two front teeth.

He was on top of her faster than blinking, her head cracking against the rocks below, his hands around her throat. His emaciated fingers dug into her neck, cracking the scabs on her scrape from the Metro car. She felt his weight suddenly vanish and there was the thunderous crack of Jude's shotgun. Posey sat up slowly, gasping for air and head spinning. Jude cocked his shotgun again. The boy Raider was on his knees, a cavernous wound in his torso, the threadbare gray of his shirt soaked in shining scarlet. His lips were flecked with blood. He was choking on it. Drowning in the middle of a dessert.

_Crack_

He crumpled. Jude kicked him aside, before turning back to her.

"I thought I told you. You see a Raider, " He said numbly. His face was pale. She could see each of his freckles, standing out vividly against his ashen face. Every golden brown fleck.

"You kill it."


	11. Roots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Roots"
> 
> Don't throw stones at me
> 
> Don't tell anybody
> 
> Trouble finds me
> 
> All the noise of this
> 
> Has made me lose my belief
> 
> I'm going back to my roots
> 
> Another day, another door
> 
> Another high, another low
> 
> Rock bottom, rock bottom, rock bottom
> 
> Had to lose my way
> 
> to know which road to take
> 
> Trouble found me
> 
> All I look forward
> 
> Washed away by a wave
> 
> I'm going back to my roots

Jude

Posey didn't respond. Her enormous blue eyes were fixed on the crumpled form of the Raider behind him. The pale skin of her neck was marred with garish red, both from the Raider's hands and blood from her cracked scab. Jude stared at it for a moment, watching the muscles in her neck contract as she gasped for breath, working double time to supply her deprived lungs of air.

Jude tore his eyes away and bent down, picking up all the ammo he'd found before the Raider brat had pounced and placing it and the water bottles he'd also discovered in his bag before slinging it onto his shoulder with his good arm. He held out a hand to Posey, who looked slowly up from his hand to his face. Her face was smudged with dirt, and he could see the whites all around the bright blue of her iris.

"Come on, Blondie." He said quietly.

"He-" Her voice cracked and she took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes tight. Jude was glad for that, it was like a very bright light being shut off. "He had-"

"Doesn't matter what he had." He said, "Come on, I need you to patch me up. They grazed me pretty good."

In truth, he hadn't had time to really appraise his arm. He knew it hurt like hell and was bleeding much more than when he'd been shot back in the Museum of Technology, but at least he could move all his fingers. If he were alone, he probably would've just slapped a bandage on it and kept going. But he was counting on this snapping Posey out of it and, thankfully, it seemed to do the trick. She looked back up at him and allowed him to help her to her feet.

"Not here." Said Posey, her eyes flickering back down to the corpse behind them.

"Not here." Agreed Jude, and she turned and carefully picked her way down the slope, avoiding looking at the fallen Raiders. Jude did a quick once over on each body, taking anything remotely useful before meeting up with Posey down on the path they'd been traveling down. Her back was to him, resolutely facing forward, gazing towards the horizon and refusing to glance left or right as they started walking. He kept a careful eye on her as they walked, but she didn't notice or acknowledge him at all. Her fists were clenched so tightly her muscles shook.

So Jude didn't say anything, and they walked in silence, the only sound the dirt crunching beneath their feet and the wind whistling past the burned out husk of trees, rustling the brush and sending little eddies of dust blowing past their feet. He saw a billboard off to the side of the lane, it's wood splintering and lettering long since unrecognizable. Flecks of peeling paint had wilted off, scattering the dirt in front of it with white.

"Let's stop here," Said Jude, pointing at the sign, and wincing. Man, that sucker really did burn. "We'll rest for a bit, have some lunch and you can fix me up, Nurse Nancy."

Posey simply nodded and the two of them sat down in the shadow of the centuries-old advertisement, their backs against the flimsy wood as Posey pulled out her med supplies.

"Let's see it then," She said, at last, her voice just as brittle as the planks they leaned against.

Jude held out his arm and Posey started washing away the blood with a square of gauze. She winced once she cleared it all away, and Jude himself had to admit it wasn't a very pretty sight. The bullet had just grazed his arm, just below his bicep, but it had taken a decent chunk out of his flesh. A three-inch long furrow of absent skin and it was still bleeding.

"I might have to stitch it up." Said Posey with a frown. "But... I don't know. I've never done that before. I don't really want to try it out here. I'll just clean it and pack it with gauze and bandage it, and maybe if my dad is still at Vault 112 he can decide if you need stitches or not."

"You're the boss, Blondie." Said Jude, hissing as she started swabbing it with alcohol to disinfect it. "Damn that stuff stings."

"Be glad it hurts. It hurts because you're still alive. This could have hit your brachial artery and you would have been dead in minutes."

Jude watched her as she worked, her fingers gentle and hesitant, but sure in their work. Her eyes were still a little hollow, and her eyebrows were knitted together in concentration, but her hands no longer shook, so that was something.

"He would've killed you, you know." He said,  watching as she rolled up more gauze to pack into his wound. Her long, thin fingers were stained with his blood. "He would have, and you know what? He wouldn't have felt any remorse about it, either. For him, that's the way the world is. Shoot first, ask questions never. I told you-"

"He had freckles." She interrupted, "Freckles." She repeated, looking up from the gaze in her hands to his face. "Just like you. And hazel eyes. Hazel eyes, like Jonas."

Jude looked down at her, and she met his gaze unflinchingly. She had a fleck of blood, high on her cheekbone, a bright red spot on her sunburned skin.

"Jonas' were different, but still, hazel. He's dead too." She wound a bandage tightly around his arm, packing the gauze down tight. She tied off the bandage and tucked the ends in neatly and slipped her finger under the edge of it to make sure it was snug but not tourniquet tight. Her fingers were warm and Jude fought the instinct to shiver. "Jonas and that boy are both dead and it's mine and my father's fault. If my father had never left the Vault, Jonas would still be alive. If I didn't insist on finding him, that boy would be too, maybe. I would never have met you and I'd probably have married Freddy Gomez. I would have spent the rest of my life down in that Vault, and I would never have ended another person's life. I would never have seen the sky, or blown a Feral Ghoul's head apart, or breathed anything but recycled air for my entire life."

Jude didn't know what to say, so he remained silent, staring down at the girl from the vault, watching as she shakily tucked her hair behind her ears with her bloodstained fingers.

"No one," She said, and her voice was strained now and her eyes overbright, "no one had freckles, down in the Vault. Nobody. How is that? How could no one have freckles?"

"Blondie,"

"I know, he was a monster. He would have killed me, and you. You did the right thing, I understand that. I just... He was _starving_. Did you see that? I could see his ribs, and I-I-" She was close to sobbing, through her eyes remained dry, "I've killed so many, Jude. I don't even know  _how_ many. I lost count.  _I've lost track_  of how many people I've  _killed_ in the past week. They were people's children. Maybe they had sweethearts or brothers or sisters or hell I don't know, dogs! I killed them. They're gone, forever and I...I..." She gulped and looked up at him, "I'm not cut out for this, Jude. My dad was right, I can't handle myself out here."

"You  _can_  handle it out here." Said Jude firmly, "For you, that's part of the problem. You're a natural with that gun. And as for being cut out for it, no one is, really. And if they are, then they're not the kind of people you want to rub shoulders with. Do you know how many people I've killed? Dozens. Maybe even hundreds. Raiders and Slavers and thugs, and you know how old I was when I first killed someone?"

Posey shook her head, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"I was fifteen. I shot a Slaver, right in the throat. He was trying to take me in. I didn't even think about it until about month had passed. And by then, how many more had I shot?"

Posey looked down at her hands stained with red.

"I know it's terrible to think you'll get used to it," He said softly "and it is. But you do. You get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it." She said quietly, running her right thumb over her left palm, and for the first time, Jude noticed the red, half-moon shaped marks, cut into her skin.

"You'll find a way to deal with it, Blondie." He said, "Just, don't think about that, right now. Think about finding your old man. How far are we from Vault 112?"

"We just left Mega-"

"I know, how far are we?"

"We still have forty miles to go."

Jude ran the numbers silently before saying confidently: "Alright so that's about thirteen more hours, right on schedule. We  _could_ get there today, but we're not gonna do that to ourselves. We go for about three hours then we'll take a break, and then go for another three. We'll do that until about sunset. Then we'll make camp. Sound good?"

"You're the boss, Colorado."

"Nah, I just work here. Here," He handed her a can of Pork 'n Beans he'd purchased from Moria and a banged up box of Potato crisps. "lunch time, Blondie."

They ate in silence, and Jude had to admit, his arm did feel a little better now that it was bandaged. He supposed he could have used some of their Med-X or a Stimpack, but he didn't want to waste those on a simple graze. He also didn't really want to mess with Med-X unless he  _really_  had to. That stuff was potent, and he'd seen what Med-X addicts were like. It wasn't something he wanted to experience firsthand.

"Thanks, Jude." Said Posey at last, looking over at him with a smile. It looked a little forced, but he knew that she was trying to make it seem less so. "For listening to my crazy rant. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"No it makes sense," Said Jude, "you're still fresh from the Vault essentially. How long have you been out here, a week?"

"A week exactly."

"See? Come on," He got to his feet and Posey followed suit, pulling her duffel bag back up onto her shoulders, and hefting her Assault Rifle up in her arms. "let's get this show on the road, Blondie."

* * *

The journey was quiet, and yet not unpleasant. Posey spoke a little more about her life in The Vault and Jude eventually broke down and told her a few stories from his scavenging, to pass the time, he even recalled one from his short time as a mercenary.

"He hired you, to do what?" Asked Posey with a laugh,

"Track down Bigfoot, I kid you not." Said Jude, propping his shotgun up on his shoulder and shaking his head. "This old coot was  _convinced_ that Bigfoot was stealing his booze out of his private stash. He showed me these giant footprints around his place, and went raving on and on about how he'd seen a big shaggy thing tromping around, with his arms full of bottles."

"So did you take the job?"

"Hell yeah, I took the job. Money was money and as far as Merc contracts go, this didn't seem too bad. This guy was drunk off his ass, it was probably nothing."

"Was it nothing?"

"No, it was his neighbor. Big guy, had this great long beard and he was pretty hairy in general. I might've mistaken him for Bigfoot at a distance. Bigfoot who was jonesin' for some hooch."

"So, did you stop him?"

"Yeah, I went up to him and told him that his neighbor hired me to take out the man stealing his moonshine, and if he didn't promise to stop I'd shoot him."

"What'd he do?"

"That big bastard broke my nose, that's what he did. Knocked me flat on my back. I'm not exaggerating when I say this guy was HUGE."

Posey was laughing and Jude found himself smiling as well as they walked along, kicking up Wasteland dust and both of them scanning the area for any sign of movement. They hadn't run into any trouble yet, not since their first Raider scuffle, but Jude wouldn't let that fool him into being lulled into a false sense of security.

"So what did you do then?" Asked Posey, shifting her grip on her rifle, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Shot him, in the knee, then I ran like hell. I guess he stopped stealing the other guy's stash because I got paid and the old man didn't come back and hire any of us. I don't know why my company took that job in the first place."

"Your company?"

"Merc groups are called factions or companies. My company was pretty small, and not super-renowned. Called themselves The Wasteland Warriors. There are two pretty famous ones, Reilly's Rangers and Talon Company Mercenaries. Talon company mercs bad news, but Reilly's Rangers are a decent group. My boss, a guy named Patrick, knew Reilly's Rangers, and I actually worked a job with one of their guys, Donavon, once. They tried to hire me, but I turned them down."

"How come?"

"I was sick of being a Merc. I didn't like having to be at anyone's beck and call. Patrick was a good guy, but there was a lot of jerks in that company. His second in command, Richard, I think was his name. He was a real piece of work. I think he was an Ex-Slaver, but he still got off and telling people what to do, and lording his authority over everyone else. Especially me."

"Why especially you?"

"'Cause I was the youngest." Said Jude, shifting his back a little on his shoulders, so it weighed more on his right arm than his still sore left. "Said he didn't know why Patrick brought me in. Patrick was too soft, bringin' in strays like me."

"How old were you?"

"Seventeen."

"Wow, you were a young 'un."

"Yeah. He was still a prick though. And I was one of the only ones who actually buckled down and followed my contracts to the letter and didn't waste time chasing booze or girls."

Posey smiled again and looked up at him, cocking her head to the side and saying coyly, "Do I detect a hint of  _bitterness_ , Colorado?"

"Hell yeah I'm bitter," He said gruffly, looking down at her with a frown. "I was the best damn merc they had."

Posey laughed, brushing a lock of hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear, "So how much of the Wasteland have you seen?" She asked, looking out over the desert like surroundings.

"Just about everything west of the Potomac and south of Fort Bannister." He said, running his fingers through his hair, and brushing it out of his eyes. "I haven't really been much further than that, apart from Rivet City. First time I went to the D.C. area was when I..." He paused. For some reason, he held back on saying ' _When I_ _went looking for you'_. That seemed too intimate. Too telling.

"That's amazing." Said Posey, thankfully missing out on his internal struggle. "I can't believe you're familiar with that much."

"Familiar is a bit of a stretch, but yeah I guess so. I mostly stick to the areas around Megaton and Rivet City though, scavenging and such."

"You don't take any merc jobs anymore?"

"I haven't for a long time. I do occasionally if the pay is good enough. Let's take a quick pit stop, this pack is killing my arm and it's getting hot."

It was nearing three o' clock, and the sun was really beating down, the cool spring morning they'd been enjoying replaced by blazing hot Wasteland sun. Posey had her jacket tied around her waist again and now took it off and stuffed it in her duffel bag before sitting down in a small patch of shade at the base of a mass of boulders, which sat atop a low hill, giving them a panoramic view of the Wasteland around them.

"Didn't you say the Tunnel Snakes had matching jackets." Said Jude slowly, lowering himself down next to her and looking at the still visible folds of black leather and green cloth. "And you have a jacket with a green snake on it. You didn't tell me  _you_ were a Tunnel Snake, Blondie."

"I'm not." She said, shoving the jacket further into her bag. "Well, Butch said I'm an honorary member after I saved his mom. And he gave me his jacket. Hmm," She frowned thoughtfully, "maybe I  _am_ a Tunnel Snake."

"He gave you his jacket, huh?" Said Jude with a smirk. "You know what that means. You're jacketed. That means you and Butch are goin' steady. Thought you said he wasn't your boyfriend?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Snapped Posey, blushing slightly and scowling at him. "He's  _not_ my boyfriend. Not even close. Besides, it's not like I'll ever see him again."

"Why do you still have his jacket, then?"

"Because sometimes it gets cold and it's nice to have a coat?" She said, raising her eyebrows. "You're looking into this too much, Colorado. And I like it, it reminds me of the Vault."

"And your boyfriend."

Posey kicked his foot, the only thing she could reach, and Jude laughed.

"Why do  _you_ have a too small baseball cap with the letters A.H. embroidered on them?" She challenged and Jude's smile froze.

"Found it." He said reflexively. "Thought it might come in handy sometime."

Posey narrowed her eyes, clearly not satisfied with that answer, but to his relief, she dropped the subject.

"When did you quit being a mercenary?" She asked instead, leaning back against the rock.

"When I was nineteen. I only stayed that long because I owed Patrick, but by the time I was nineteen, enough was enough. I told Patrick I was leaving, and he was good about it. Richard well, he was predictably a dick, said I couldn't leave something about my contract. I didn't really even have a contract, but he wasn't going to let me go."

"So what did you do?" Asked Posey, eyes round.

"I turned to leave and he shot me,"

"He shot you!"

"Yeah, but he was a piss poor shot. He got me in the shoulder, with a pretty small caliber bullet."

"Then what did you do?" Asked Posey, who was as enthralled as if he were an episode of  _Herbert "Daring" Dashwood._

"Turned to shoot him back, but Patrick beat me to it."

"He shot his second in command?" Said Posey, raising her eyebrows. Jude simply shrugged.

"He shot me first, and no one really liked Richard anyway."

Posey shook her head, and Jude quickly changed the subject.

"What about you?" He asked, settling back against his pack and crossing his legs at the ankle.

"What do you mean, what about me?" She asked, looking back at him with raised eyebrows.

"I dunno, we've been talking about me too long." He nodded towards her, eyebrows raised "Your turn."

"We've basically covered all there is to know about me." Said Posey with a shrug. "I was the Vault's marriage counselor, my best friend was Amata, and I read a lot. That's about all there is to know."

"We never discussed fully how good of a dancer Freddy Gomez is." Said Jude with a smile. Posey blushed and muttered,

"I still don't know how you know about that, but fine." She looked across at him for a moment, sizing him up before she finally began: "The Vault had dances on Fridays, kind of to pick up everyone's morale I suppose. Like I said there's not much to do down there. And my sixteenth birthday just so happened to fall on a Friday, so Amata convinced her dad to let her combine them into a dance/sweet sixteen for me, which was sweet of her. Grandma Palmer made a really lovely cake, and Jonas painted a banner that said 'Happy Birthday Posey' on it, and he even painted some flowers, I don't know _where_ he got the paint." She said with a laugh, shaking her head and drawing her knees up to her chest. "I was sort of suspicious when he asked if I could borrow my book on gardening and botany, but I guess he wanted some reference. So, a lot of the Vault showed up, because you know, it was a dance and what else were they going to do. The Tunnel Snakes and Susie Mack had ditched that dance that week but I wasn't complaining. But, Freddy did come. I was surprised that he came, actually. He wanted so desperately to be a Tunnel Snake and they all hated me, well Butch and Wally anyway. Paul sort of tolerated me."

"But Freddy Gomez was just so desperately in love with you, he decided to risk it." Said Jude with a wicked grin. "Tunnel Snakes be damned."

"He wasn't desperately in love with me." Said Posey with a scowl.

"How do you know? He came to your party, didn't he? So, you had  _two_ boyfriends down in the Vault. That's pretty smooth, Blondie."

"This," Said Posey, pointing an accusing finger at him. "this is why we weren't talking about me."

"Alright, alright, I'm done." Said Jude, though his grin still remained. Posey eyed him suspiciously before continuing.

"Well, he came one way or another, and he taught me how to dance. I mean I kind of knew, we had a dance section in the girls P.E. class, but," Posey blushed and looked down at her hands, folded in her lap. "he was really good."

Jude was quiet for a moment, observing the way the bridge of her nose sloped down to the tip, which ended in a subtle turn-up. He noticed her sunburn was peeling, and Jude was suddenly struck by how young she actually was. She still blushed over what were essentially school dances, and her skin had  _never_ seen the sun before.

"How romantic." Said Jude at last and he had to duck as Posey threw her empty water bottle at him.

"I'm starting to see why Richard shot you." Said Posey sourly and Jude laughed. His muscles in his abdomen ached a little, and he wondered how long it had been since he'd laughed so freely.

"We should probably start looking for a place to make camp." He said, picking up the bottle she'd thrown at him and stuffing it in his pack. "The light will start going soon and we'll want to have found a place before that happens."

Posey got wordlessly to her feet, hauling her duffel back up over her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes as she shifted her weight, favorite her left leg and wincing minimally as she put weight on it.

"You okay, Blondie?"

She looked up at him in surprise, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He squinted at her again, looking distrustfully down at her leg. "You sure?"

"Yes, Jude, I'm fine," she said impatiently. "Let's go. Can we keep heading West while we look for a spot? I want to get as far as possible today."

"We will." Said Jude with a frown. "If we stop in an hour or two to make camp, we'll be about two hours out of Evergreen Mills. The garage can't be too much farther west."

"Okay, then what are we standing around for?" She raised an eyebrow and, after checking her Pip-Boy, headed off down the slope. Jude shook his head. This girl was impossible.

* * *

"Hold up, Blondie." Jude held up a hand and Posey paused, looking back at him with a frown. They'd walked on for a few more hours, and Posey had vetoed all of his proposed stopping points, asking if they couldn't go a  _little_ farther, and each time he'd relented, but now  _his_ feet hurt and he was tired. He didn't know why she was still pushing on if she'd been favoring her leg before. "Right there." He said, pointing to a rusted pickup truck, half sunk into the Wasteland dust, nestled in an almost valley-like depression between two low sloping hills.

"The truck?" said Posey with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. It's got some decent cover with those hills, and the sides of the truck bed will keep off any wind. Well," He amended, "as long as they don't get too crazy. I don't think they will, though. It's a good a spot as any. It's not as good as some of the  _other_  places I pointed out..."

"Okay, okay fine." Said Posey glancing down at her Pip-Boy and biting her lip.

"We don't want to camp too close to the Mills, Blondie." Said Jude impatiently. "Unless you want to wake up to a bunch of raiders first thing in the morning."

"Doesn't look very soft," Said Posey, ignoring him approaching the truck. "wouldn't the ground be a little softer than metal?"

"Maybe, but I don't want bugs or sand in my sleeping bag myself." Said Jude, dropping his pack on the tailgate. He untied his bedroll from the top of it and set to rolling it out. He saw Posey's face drop slightly and he smirked. "Problem, Blondie?"

"What? No." She said defensively. "I don't have a problem."

"No, you don't." Agreed Jude. He pulled back a flap of canvas from the bottom of his pack and tossed her the bedroll he'd purchased from Moria. Posey caught it in surprise and looked at Jude with wide eyes.

"Might smell a little funky." Said Jude, hopping up into the bed of the truck and shaking his own out. "I got it from Moria. I hope it doesn't have any crazy experimental components or anything. Then again you're rad resistent now, so it probably doesn't matter."

He hopped back down and rummaged in the bottom compartment of his pack and started gingerly removing his 'security system'. He walked about forty feet away while Posey started spreading her bedroll in the back as well.

"What are you doing?" Called Posey as Jude kicked aside some dirt before crouching down and placing a frag mine down on the ground, arming it and kicking the dust back over it.

"Leaving a present for the neighbors." He said, carefully trailing a thin wire in a roughly circular trail around the truck, planting land mines about every seven feet until he had a decent perimeter. He double checked his handiwork before straightening up and dusting off his hands, satisfied with his work.

"What kind of present?" Asked Posey cautiously, her gaze darting around their campsite nervously. "And what sort of neighbors."

"Oh I'm sure it'll go over with a bang," Said Jude, "it's for the sneaky kind of neighbors."

"Doesn't this site seem kind of out in the open to you?" Said, Posey, as Jude lifted himself back up onto the tailgate, wincing a little at the shooting pain in his arm. "What if someone sneaks up on us?"

"Bad news for them, then." Said Jude, "I set up frag mines around the perimeter. Linked them all together with wire so if someone steps on the wire, anywhere along it, the one closest to them will blow up."

"Wow," Said Posey, looking down at him with shock mingled with admiration. "That's pretty ingenious."

"No need to sound surprised." Said Jude with a scowl, "You're not the only one with a brain around here."

"I know that," Said Posey defensively, "I'm impressed! I would never have thought of something like that."

"You've never needed to." Said Jude, looking out over the Wasteland. The light was fading, and he thought he could see the faintest hump on the horizon that he knew to be Evergreen Mills. Not far now.

Posey joined him, carefully lowering herself onto the tailgate then turning her eyes up, as she always did when there was a spare moment, gazing into the grey-blue sky that was slowly fading to hues of pinks and lavenders as the sun began its descent.

"If it gets really cold tonight," Said Jude, drawing his gun into his lap and disassembling it with quick sure movements, "which it might, we can zip our bags together. Conserve body heat, and it won't be so cold."

"Okay," Said Posey, keeping her eyes skyward. Jude turned his attention to his gun, checking over each part before cleaning it and slowly putting it back together again. He'd done it so many times, the same routine over and over again, that it had become an almost meditative act.

_Take care of your gun, and it'll take care of you._  He thought, sliding the last piece back into place and running his fingers over the familiar shape of it.

"You really like that gun, don't you?"

Jude looked and saw Posey looking over at him, a wry smile twisting her lip.

"Yeah. It's a good gun." Said Jude with a shrug. "Lots of parts for it around, and it packs a punch. What more do you need?"

"Nothing, I guess...Quick and destructive." Said Posey sardonically, looking out over the Wasteland. She was quiet for a little while longer, and her eyes took on that brittle sort of look again. "This place," She said at length, "I thought it'd be different."

"Different how?" Asked Jude, laying his shotgun at the head of his sleeping bag. He had a .44 Magnum pistol strapped to his hip for emergencies but seldom used it except for the rare instance where his Shotgun would be out of reach.

"When I was a kid, I thought there would be cities." She said dully, "Real cities, I mean. Full of happy, healthy people. How could we know if we never left the Vault? I thought that up until I left. I felt sure, somewhere, that it had to be better than down there. I thought there would be grass and trees and flowers..."

"There are trees," Said Jude, he pointed to the charred remains of one, it's length snapped in half, its curiously jagged edges cutting a harsh pattern against the pastel colored sky. "And grass," He nodded towards a stubby grayish green tuft near their feet. "We are lacking in flowers though. I knew an old lady named Rose, in Rivet City. She might still be there, come to think of it."

Posey's lips twitched in a half smile. "I guess it does have those things. And cities. It's just..."

"A Wasteland." Finished Jude, "Kind of part of the whole 'Nuclear Armageddon' package deal."

"I thought it would be better." She said, "In some ways, it is. I mean, people still killed each other down in the Vault. Hell, look at Jonas..."

Her voice died and she looked down, taking a shuddering breath.

Ordinarily, Jude would have said something along the lines of 'Suck it up, Buttercup.' and he was prepared to do so this time, but...

He knew Posey would suck it up. He'd watched her suck it up a dozen times already. She'd clench her fists, toss back her hair and look it in the eye and make some dumb ass heroic quip that would probably end up with a bullet in her, but she'd suck it up. She was a persistent little thing if nothing else.

"What's that book, at your house?  _A Tale of Two Cities._ " He asked, bringing up one knee to his chest and looking over at her.

"Huh?" Posey looked over at him in bewilderment.

"I saw it on your shelf. What's it about?"

She stared back at him, her gaze almost defensive like she was waiting for him to laugh at her, but instead, he raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, Blondie, I only give you crap about your boyfriends. I really wanna know, what's that book about?"

"It's about the best of times and the worst of times." Said Posey with a soft smile and Jude raised an eyebrow before turning back to the Wastes.

"Alright then, don't tell me."

"That's how the book starts." Explained Posey, " _'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way-_ '." She recited the words with a sort of timbre and cadence that was completely foreign to Jude's ear. Low and smooth and rhythmic. Nothing at all like her normal voice.

"It was a historical novel, written by a man named Charles Dickens." She continued, her voice now back to its usual pattern. "It was about two countries that use to exist, they might still, I'm not sure. England and France, and political unrest that leads to the French and the American Revolution. It's one of my favorite books."

"Sounds thrilling." Said Jude, unable to keep the dry skepticism out of his voice.

"Check your sarcasm at the tailgate, Wastelander. It's a great book."

Jude had to smile at that, and Posey's lips turned up in a smile too.

"What other books have you read?" He asked, scooting back and resting his back against the wall of the truck's bed.

"I read everything I could get my hands on down in the Vault." Said Posey, still staring out over the ragged Wasteland's horizon. " _A Tale of Two Cities_  and  _The Great Gatsby_  were two books that the Vault had enough copies to supply everyone in the grade with. I'm not technically supposed to have it, but there were lots of extras and Mr. Brotch, my teacher, he sort of smuggled me a copy."

"But not of The Great Gatsby?"

"No, they didn't have extra of that book. Which was a shame because I really liked that one too."

"What was that one about?" The fading light illuminated all the fuzzy flyaways coming out of her braid, making them glow golden in the evening sun.

"Well, like all great books I'd say it was about the human condition. It was about a practically ancient period of American History, the 1920's."

"Geez Louise," Said Jude, letting out a low whistle, "did anyone even have means to record stuff then?"

"Yes, a lot of books came out of that era actually." She said, matter of factly, and Jude noted the way her shoulders subtly relaxed and her fists loosened the longer she spoke. "And even a little earlier than that, actually. Jane Austen, she was a wonder. But anyway, The Great Gatsby's main character is a man named Nick Carraway, and he goes to a city called New York to pursue the American dream, which was basically to get rich. It's also about a man named Jay Gatsby, hence the name The Great Gatsby." She'd fallen into a different cadence now than the one before, still smooth and rhythmic but almost as if she were a professor talking to a crowd in a lecture hall, rather than sitting on a rusted-out tailgate with the only company present a surly ex-mercenary. "Gatsby had ordered his entire life around one purpose," She continued, oblivious to the fact that Jude wasn't really listening, but smiling in amusement as she chatted on. "to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years before the book takes place. But Daisy turns out to be awful and selfish and in the end, everyone is disillusioned with life and the jazz age and Gatsby ends up dead."

"Cheerful." He remarked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Isn't it though?" Said Posey looking at him with a smile, "It was actually really beautifully written. One of my favorite parts is when Gatsby is reminiscing about the first time he met Daisy, something about them walking together on an autumn night ' _So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her_ ' '. I don't know why but that line," She smiled and shook her head, "I loved it."

"So it was a love story, then."

"Sort of. A tragic one, but I suppose all good love stories have some element of tragedy."

"Morbid." Commented Jude, "Which was better, A Tale of Two Cities or The Great Gatsby?"

"Oh, you can't ask me that." Said Posey, pulling a face. "They're way too different to even compare."

"Which one is shorter?"

"Gatsby."

"Then that one is better."

Posey rolled her eyes. "What time will we get to the garage tomorrow?"

"Depends," He said, reaching down and scratching at a new blood stain spattered across his leg. He wondered if the blood belonged to him, or a raider. "We'll reach Evergreen Mills in about two hours, and I guess it just depends on how far West that garage is from there."

"Thanks for helping me, Jude." Blurted out Posey, finally jerking her gaze back to him. "I mean it. I don't know how I could ever repay you. I might be as indebted to you as Gob is to Moriarty."

"Are you comparing me to Moriarty?" Said Jude, tilting his chin down while simultaneously raising his eyebrows in indignation. "Because I will leave you in this truck right now."

"No, no, no," Laughed Posey, "I'm not comparing you to Moriarty, cross my heart. You're nothing like Moriarty."

"Cuz I'm nice, huh?" Taunted Jude with a smirk. Posey rolled her eyes again but smiled none the less.

"Yeah," She agreed, "You're real nice, Jude. Real-" Her eyes suddenly widened and she sat up, crying out:"Shit!" while instantly turning bright pink. She looked towards Jude in horror and Jude couldn't help it. He let out a raucous laugh, clapping his hands together while Posey groaned.

"No! No, no, no, nooooooo you  _can't_  hold me responsible for what I said I was basically  _dying_."

"What?" He said in mock offense. " I'm  _not_ a better dancer than Freddy Gomez?"

"How would I even know!" agonized Posey, once again hiding her blushing cheeks behind her hands.

"You can't take it back, Blondie." Said Jude, his lips twisted in an impish smirk, "I'm a better dancer than Freddy Gomez and I'm more handsome than Butch, you said it yourself."

"I don't know if everyone would agree with that statement," Mumbled Posey, her face now completely hidden in her hands. "Butch was the best looking guy down in the Vault."

"But  _you_  agree with that statement." Said Jude with a grin. "You're the one that said it."

"I'm going to sleep now." Said Posey, slowly lowering her hands, though her face was still scarlet. She unlaced her boots and started tugging them off while Jude drawled

"Awww, come on, Blondie. Just admit it, you think I'm handsome."

"Apparently I already did." Retorted Posey, looking miffed, crawling towards the mouth of her sleeping bag. "Now shush. I'm tired."

Jude smirked again, "Does this mean you don't think I'm a raging psychopath who preys on young girls anymore?"

"Lots of famous serial killers were handsome, Jude." She said witheringly, balling up her duffel bag under her head. "That's not proof."

"Ha!" He cried triumphantly, "So you  _do_ think I'm handsome."

"I'm not talking to you anymore."

Jude laughed as Posey turned over on her side, her back now to him and resolutely ignoring him. Jude slipped his armor off, leaving it at the end of the truck before slipping into his own bedroll.

"It's okay, Blondie." He said, shifting a little so he was laying on his good arm, "You're not half bad yourself"

* * *

Posey

Posey awoke a wall of white cotton.

Sometime in the night, both she and Jude had scooted closer together, seeking warmth unconsciously. She was curled against his back, her nose buried in his shirt, her shoulders up around her ears.

In truth, Jude did  _not_ smell pleasant. Which was completely understandable, she was sure she wasn't fresh as a daisy herself. Yet as she drew back, she couldn't help but feel that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Sure, he smelled of sweat which was gross, but there had also been a trace of leather from his armor, and something else, that maybe was just him that wasn't entirely off-putting. And he'd been so  _warm_. Warm through.

Her eyes followed the curve of his shoulder and arm, disappearing into his sleeping bag. His bandage had rust colored spots seeping through, and the back of his neck was scattered with freckles.

She sat up quickly as the image of the boy from yesterday flashed before her eyes, his gap-toothed smile and lips, speckled with blood. Posey picked her jacket up from where she'd been using it as a pillow and pulled it on, drawing the familiar leather tight against her to fight off a chill that had nothing to do with the brisk early morning air.

As it always seemed to do when her heart pounded, her ear ached and now along with it, her throat, the bruises there pulsing with each rapid beat of her frantic heart. She reached up and tentatively ran her fingers down her neck, prodding the tender flesh before moving up to her ear. She followed the curve of it, sucking in a quick breath as she felt the odd, triangular notch of now missing flesh. She'd collected a myriad of odd injuries out in the Wastes. The gunshot graze on her forehead from one of the Vault's guards. The scrape on her neck from the subway car's ragged edges from her first trek to D.C.. Part of her ear blasted off by a raider. The bruises on her neck from a boy who she wanted to spare, and the bruise on her leg from a man she'd wanted to destroy. The Wasteland was already chipping away at her, claiming her blood for itself, twisting her thoughts in ways she would never have imagined a week ago.

She heard a rustle and looked down to see Jude, rolling onto his back, his eyes still closed, mouth parted slightly in sleep. The light that was just beginning to fall on the pair of them illuminated the line of his cheekbone and nose, his eyelashes casting a spidery shadow onto his freckled cheeks.

_Boys always have the best eyelashes,_ thought Posey with a frown,  _it's not fair, they never appreciate them._

Posey dug into her bag, fishing out a water bottle and a mutfruit she'd bought from Jenny back in Megaton and moved to sit down on the tailgate again, tastebudstill fighting off shivers. She heard a soft sigh and turned to look back at Jude. She couldn't really see much of him, he'd curled up under his sleeping bag and for some reason that sight brought a smile to her lips. To see Jude, who had at  _least_  six inches on her height, with his broad shoulders, muscled arms, and scruffy face from only one day without shaving, curled up, childlike, sleeping peacefully was...well it was adorable to be completely honest.

She turned back and watched as the sky slowly brightened, the pale yellow clouds slowly dissipating as the sun began to rise. As with everything in the sky, Posey was thoroughly enchanted, seeing as she could count on one hand how many times she'd seen a sunrise. But she did have to admit, sunsets, in her opinion, were much prettier. They seemed much more colorful.

She heard the truck groan slightly and looked over her shoulder to see Jude pushing himself up into a sitting position with some apparent difficulty. His dark hair was a mess, and his eyes were bleary and Posey bit back a laugh.

"Good morning, sunshine." She called with a smile. Jude glared at her, and Posey laughed.

"Not much of a morning person?" Asked Posey, cocking her head to the side and smiling.

"Mind your own business." Muttered Jude and Posey grinned.

"Maybe we should have brought Wadsworth, he could have brewed you up some coffee, then maybe you wouldn't be so grumpy."

Jude merely grunted and pulled his leather armor towards him and started buckling it on, still wearing a scowl.

"You said we're close now, right?" She asked once Jude had finished and joined her on the tailgate.

"Yeah, we're close." He said, rubbing his eye and yawning widely. "Two hours out of Evergreen Mills, and this garage can't be much farther than that. We're not heading any further north, though, we'll go straight West from here. Should be far enough away that we won't have to worry about any raiders and... what are you doing?" He asked, brows furrowed. She'd been about to bite into her mutfruit but paused as Jude looked at her with a frown.

"I'm eating breakfast," Said Posey slowly, looking uncertainly down at the oddly shaped fruit. "Why, did you want some?"

"You don't eat the skin of a mutfruit, Blondie." Said Jude, holding out his hand. "At least if you've got half a taste bud you don't. That stuff is so sour it'll make your tongue bleed. Here, let me see."

He took the mutfruit from her and reached behind him, pulled his knife from his belt and started peeling the thick purple skin away. The fruit's flesh underneath was a pale, almost transparent green, and Jude cut off a chunk, holding out his knife with the now peeled portion of mutfruit easily accessible. Posey took it with a word of thanks, hesitantly placing the mushy fruit in her mouth, letting the almost watered down sweetness spread over her tongue.

"That's not bad." Said Posey, looking appreciatively at the mutfruit.

"It's better than Crunchy Mutfruit anyway, which, by the way, is  _not_ crunchy." Said Jude with a shrug, taking a piece for himself. "How're your legs feeling this morning?"

"Fine." Lied Posey. In truth, they'd never been so sore, and her left knee was really starting to ache. She'd landed on it awkwardly yesterday, diving away from the Raider's Frag Grenade.

"Are you lying to me?" He challenged, raising his eyebrows, "Because if they're something wrong and you don't tell me, then it's gonna slow us down or get you killed."

"Well they're tired and they hurt," Said Posey with a scowl, "but it's to be expected. I don't think it's anything serious."

Jude narrowed his eyes but didn't push the issue. Instead, he got to his feet and started rolling up both of their sleeping bags.

"I can carry my bedroll today," Said Posey, as Jude lashed his own, tightly rolled bag to the top of his back.

"Oh yeah? And where would you put it in your bag? It's not heavy, and it actually helps cushion my back from my pack. I'm keeping it."

"Alright, if you're sure." Said Posey, picking up her rifle.

"I'm always sure, Blondie. Let me just pack up the perimeter and we can get moving before it gets too hot."

Campsite packed, guns loaded, and facing West, they set out. The morning was crisp and cool, and they were so much closer to Vault 112 that Posey might have had a spring in her step if her feet didn't feel like they were about to fall off. The terrain in this area of the Wasteland was mostly brush, with a few outcroppings of rock here and there, and with no sign of civilization except for the distant shape of Evergreen Mills. Despite its barrenness, and the only color present being the muted gray-blue of the sky, Posey felt her spirits lift a little at the openness around them. There was nothing around to hold them back, nothing above to hold them in, and they were on their way to find her dad. Everything was perfect, except...

Posey paused, squinting out to her left. There was a hulking, hunchbacked silhouette, about four hundred feet away. She couldn't quite make it out, but it appeared to have... _horns?_

"What's that?" She asked pointing towards the shape and taking a curious step forward. If she got a little closer she could probably make it out. Could it be a stray Brahmin, wandered away from a settlement nearby?

"What's what?" Jude asked, halting in his progress and following her arm, "I don't-" Jude's voice died then became suddenly frantic. "Posey, get back!"

"I just want to see." She said, taking another careful step forward. A breeze rustled her clothing, blowing from behind her, towards whatever the thing was and she saw it pause in its shuffling movement. "Do you think-"

She cut off abruptly as she suddenly felt hauled suddenly and violently backward. She started to cry out in anger but Jude's hand was over mouth, his other arm around her middle and he was dragging her back over the rocks they'd just climbed down, scrabbling back up towards a slight overhang of rubble. She could hear his rapid breath in her ear as he unceremoniously  _threw_ her inside the cave like structure before diving in himself.

Posey fell hard, and Jude fell harder on top of her, keeping his hand firmly over her mouth.

"Don't move!" He hissed, His mouth was so close to her ear she could feel his lips brush it. "Don't speak! Just don't!"

Posey tried to ask, "But what-"

But he pressed his hand tighter and looked back towards the mouth of the little cave in terror.

That silenced Posey better than Jude's hand over her mouth ever could. Jude was  _scared._ She didn't know if she'd ever even seen Jude look worried before, apart from the elevator in the Washington Monument, but this, this was on an entirely different plane of fear. She could feel him shaking, and she saw the muscles in his throat contract as he swallowed hard. All she could see of him was the underside of his jaw as he looked back again, the pulse in his neck jumping.

Rocks jabbed at her back, and the seconds ticked sluggishly by, Jude's heavy weight pressing down on her made the rocks even worse. Posey gently moved his hand away and he looked down at her, his eyes wide, the dusty shadow of the overhang had diminished their usual emerald shade to a muddy grayish green, and the lines around them seemed more pronounced than ever.

Posey mouthed as clearly as she could  _'What is it?'_

Jude shook his head and Posey could feel his thundering heartbeat through his armor. He was sprawled over her, propped up on his elbows, and her leg was starting to ache, it was twisted uncomfortably beneath his and the rocks jabbing into her spine certainly wasn't helping anything but she didn't move. As the seconds grew to minutes, Jude eventually eased off her, his movements slow and silent and she could see all of his muscles bunching under his armor, tense and ready to spring into action as he crept towards the mouth of the cave. She started to get up but he held up a hand and so she froze, watching as Jude took a careful step out of the cave. He looked left and right, still coiled tight, jaw clenched and eyes wide. Yet his hands as he raised his shotgun, didn't tremble. Another two minutes drug by. Posey counted each second.

"I think we're clear." Said Jude at last, lowering his gun and fairly collapsing against the cave wall.

"What was that thing?" Asked Posey, finally sitting up and brushing the dust off her back.

"A Deathclaw." Said Jude, not looking at her. The muscles in his jaw were still knotted, and she could see the vein in his neck jump. "Arguably, the most dangerous creature in the Wasteland, and you," He gave her a hard look. "wanted to go look."

"I didn't know!" Said Posey, "I wasn't going to go right up to it I-"

"I told you to get back and you didn't!" Shouted Jude, "How the hell am I supposed to help you if you don't listen to me!"

"I-"

"I tell you, 'You see a raider you kill it' and instead you just stare at them!" He continued, gaze hard and voice steely, "I tell you: 'Get back' and what do you do! You move  _closer_! Dammit, Blondie! If you have a damn death wish you better just tell me so I can stop wasting my time!"

The words stung more than Posey cared to admit. She dropped her gaze, feeling angry at both herself and Jude. Angry at Jude for yelling at her, and angry at herself for deserving it. She felt like a child being reprimanded by a parent, except her father had never had reason to yell at her before.

"I'm..." She swallowed hard, glaring at the rocks that had been jabbing into her back moments before. "I'm sorry." She said, sounding almost bitter even to herself. "It won't happen again,  _sir_."

"Oh, now don't give me any of that shit." Said Jude wearily, sliding down the cave wall and coming to rest in front of her. " _Sir_? Really, Blondie?"

Posey didn't say anything, and Jude let out a sigh before getting laboriously to his feet.

"Come on," He said, holding out his hand. "Vault 112 has got to be close now. Let's get a move on."

Posey looked up at his offered hand, dusted in wasteland dirt and the skin of knuckles scraped from the rocks, bright red blood smeared across the back of his hand, which she could see were covered with dozens of tiny scars, and of course, freckles.

She felt calluses under her palm as she accepted it and he pulled her to her feet. She let go of his hand immediately and turned and walked out into the Wasteland sun without a second glance.

* * *

"Well, this is has got to be it."

Posey had to agree, looking at the lone building standing almost sentinel in the otherwise barren landscape.  _Smith Casey's Garage_  was painted along the top of the building, its lettering faded and the bricks visible through the paint.

"So there's a Vault down there, huh?" Said Jude, looking at the building apprehensively. It didn't look like much, but the fact that it was so far from even any sign of civilization, and the fact that it was remarkably still standing with all four walls still intact and a roof, made the hairs on Posey's neck rise. For some reason, seeing it sitting there, a beacon of Pre-War technology and life, almost untouched by Wasteland standards was unnerving. Not to mention the thought that her father could still be there set her heart pounding and her palms sweating. There were essentially three ways this was going to go down. Option one: Her father had been there and was gone again, and hopefully had left some kind of indication as to where. Option two: Her father was alive and well and busy researching up on the G.E.C.K. Or option three: she was about to stumble upon his corpse. All of them terrified her.

"You ready, Blondie?" He asked, looking from the scarred door to her face.

"No." Said Posey flatly, and pushed it open.

The first thing she heard made her stomach clench and she let out a screech and jumped back as the familiar form of a radroach scurried across the floor, away from the sudden flash of light opening the door had caused.

"Radroaches!" She cried in disgust, shivering and shaking out her arms as if trying to physically shake off her goosebumps. "Why does it have to be radroaches!"

"You'll scream when you see a radroach," Said Jude exasperated as he chased after the bug and stomped down hard on its shell, the resulting crunch almost made Posey retch. "But you want a closer look at a Deathclaw? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I hate bugs!" Said Posey, looking around the rest of the dank space with apprehension. "I hate the way their legs move and the noises they make and their antenna, ugh." She shuddered, "They're disgusting."

"Yeah well, Deathclaws," Jude ground his heel into another last roach, "are  _deadly_."

"Bugs can be too." She argued, smashing one with a plank of wood she'd found next to the door. "Have you ever heard of West Nile Virus?"

"No," He said, kicking aside the roaches carcass.

"Well, it was very deadly and caused by bugs, so there."

"Have you ever heard of dismemberment or evisceration?" He countered, "It's  _extremely_  deadly and caused by Deathclaws. So  _there._ "

"Okay, okay," Said Posey with a frown. "I get it. Deathclaws trump-" She jumped and let out another yelp as she felt something brush against her leg and she whirled around, bringing her board viciously down on the husk of what was hopefully the last of the radroaches. "bugs." She finished shakily.

"Fearless," Said Jude, smirking at her and Posey scowled. She threw aside her board and continued walked past him, around a counter littered with junk, which of course drew Jude like a moth to a flame. He always had to make sure there wasn't any possibly valuable loot left behind.

She stepped into the other room, taking in the abandoned husk of a Pre-War car and the piles of tires scattered across the room, infusing the room with the smell of rubber. There was a motorcycle leaning against one corrugated tin wall, and plenty of lockers, but no Cog shaped door labeled 112. She headed further in and heard a slight scuffle, like a claw on stone, and she turned towards the sound to see a Mole Rat, hurling itself towards her.

_BANG BANG BANG_

Her Assault Rifle's rapid fire pounded against her shoulder, and her shots brought Jude running, but the two rodent assailants were already dead and Posey was busy combing the gun cabinets for ammo.

"Do you have any need for a ten-millimeter pistol?" She asked, turning to him and hefting the one she'd found in the cabinet in her hand.

"No, but take it anyway, I can fix yours up with the parts from it." Said Jude, looking at an electrical box next to a unit of shelving with a frown. "This doesn't make any sense." He said, almost more to himself than to her and Posey joined him, looking at the box with raised eyebrows.

"The electrical box? What do you mean it doesn't make sense?"

"I mean it's not a breaker box, and the currents leading out of it don't seem to be going anywhere, but down." He ran his fingers down the metal encasing what she could only presume to be wires. "So what is it for? And I thought this was supposed to be a Vault?"

"Vaults are underground, so it's got to be in a basement or  _something._ " said Posey, looking around the room with a frown. "I just-"

She cut off as she heard an automated hiss and turned to see Jude, hand still resting on the lever of the electrical box, looking down at a newly revealed staircase with raised eyebrows.

"See," he said, looking back at her, "told you that box didn't make sense."

The air steadily grew cooler as the two of them descended the stairs. She could hear the whirring of a generator as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking down at another level below their current one, which had a promising looking metal door facing them, leading deeper underground. Jude approached it with a mistrustful look, and when Posey pulled it open with a clattering of levers and gears, he jumped.

"So, that's it, that's the door to the Vault?" He asked nervously, peering around down  _another_ set of stairs, which descended down into murky darkness. "We're in the Vault now?"

"No," Said Posey with a smile, stepping over the threshold. "Vault doors are a little more... heavy duty."

"Oh," He said, joining her on the other side. "How far down will the Vault be?"

"Who knows, probably not much deeper. Come on, let's go find out."

They carried on down the staircase, Jude glancing around at the walls and shifting the grip on his shotgun anxiously.

"You alright?" She asked and he scowled but refused to meet her gaze.

"Of course I'm alright." He said, "Come on, the sooner we get into this Vault the sooner we find your old man and get the hell out of here."

Posey smiled and shook her head as Jude pushed resolutely on, not glancing back at her and rounding the corner, where he stopped dead, mouth ajar.

Posey hurried to catch up with him and saw that he was staring at the enormous, cog-shaped door of Vault 112. "Well," She said, feeling a prickle of dread creep up the back of her neck. "Shall we?"

Jude looked down at her, and in the buzzing electric lights, he looked ghostly pale and much younger than out in the Wastes.

"Now or never." He said with a shrug, and Posey looked down at the lever under her hand,

"I'm coming, Dad." She whispered and shoved the handle down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....hey guys...long time no see...he he he.....yeah.....I'm sorry.
> 
> So I've been way more active on fanfiction.net than I have been on here but I decided that I wanted to make a few changes to my story and I'm going to make them here. So if you read this same story on fanfiction it will be a little different. Also, in my defense, I was out of the country for a year and a half with very limited access to a computer so...that's why I haven't updated in a very VERY long time. But I'm back!! And I'm not leaving until I conquer this thing!!! So, sit back and enjoy the ride kids because this story, it ain't going anywhere. :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!!! And please, tell me what you think!!
> 
> xoxoxo
> 
> Living Pretty
> 
> p.s. a serious question guys does the R in raiders have to be capitalized???? Because if I do it looks like Posey and Jude got attacked by a football team and that's not really what I'm going for. But if I don't, is it wrong???? HALP.


	12. Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, Father
> 
> I know I let you down
> 
> I'm sorry for how I up and left this town
> 
> Please just listen cause I don't ask for much
> 
> I am my own man
> 
> I make my own luck
> 
> Well some birds aren't meant to be caged
> 
> And I just can't see the light of day
> 
> ...
> 
> How can I set us free?
> 
> I'm what you taught me to be
> 
> Shouldn't that be enough?
> 
> ...
> 
> I'm sorry, Father
> 
> I didn't stick around
> 
> Please just listen cause I don't ask for much
> 
> I am my own man
> 
> I make my own luck
> 
> Please just listen cause I don't ask for much
> 
> Just like my old man, I make my own luck

 

Jude

Jude took an involuntary step back as an alarm blared and the light bulb next to the enormous door instantly lit up, the light rotating in time with the siren. Jude's eyes followed the beam apprehensively as there was an earsplitting noise of metal grinding on metal, followed by a hydraulic hiss, and a cloud of steam washed over the pair of them. The sound of gears ticking filled his ears and he glanced over at Posey, wondering if this was normal Vault behavior, or if they'd triggered some kind of bobby trap and were about to be blown to smithereens. But Posey was staring impassively at the cog shaped door, and so Jude turned back to the door, goose bumps rising on the back of his neck in spite of himself.

All at once everything fell silent, and Jude took an involuntary step back, glancing at Posey for a moment before fixing his gaze back on the door, a frown creasing his face, trying to ignore his heart pounding in his chest and the sweat gathering on his brow. He was just about to ask if they'd broken the damn thing when the door sunk back into the vault with a screech of ancient metal and Jude jumped, watching as more steam poured into the opening while the door slowly rolled to the left, leaving the way clear for the two of them. Posey stepped over the threshold and hurried up a small set of metal stairs while Jude followed cautiously behind, sweeping his gaze over the pristine machines around him, their various dials and modems still curiously bright, and the electric lights buzzing above them. This place still had electricity? What was that generator out there running on? Maybe if he could get a look at that, he could,

"Come on!" Said Posey impatiently, standing in an open doorway and beckoning for him to follow, "You can explore after I've found my dad!"

"Is this like the Vault you're from?" He asked, glancing behind them at the enormous doorway they'd come from. Thankfully, it was still open. The thought of that thing grinding shut, sealing them in here made his skin crawl and his breathing hitch.

"Pretty much," Said Posey, her boots echoing on the cavernous steel walls around them, "It actually might be in better shape than Vault 101, it looks better preserved. Hello?" She called, and Jude's grip tightened on his gun,

"What're you doing?" He demanded, looking furtively around the room. "What if there's a bunch of psychos down here!"

"I think the noise of the vault door opening has already clued in any potential psychos of our visit." Said Posey witheringly, giving him a sharp look. "But this doesn't make sense." She continued, turning and looking deeper into the vault. "Where are the residents? Vault security should have found us already with the door opening. And it wasn't even password protected! How on earth-"

"Welcome to Vault 112, resident!"

Both Posey and Jude jumped as an automated, robotic voice echoed from the shadows of the room they just entered. An odd robot wheeled forward on its caterpillar wheels, its arms which ended in claw like hands, moving jerkily.

"A robobrain." Said Jude, eyes wide. "I've never seen one of these before."

"According to sensors," Said the robot before them. "You have arrived 202.3 years behind schedule." The brain at the top of the robot lit up in sequence of the monologue and staring at it made Jude feel queasy.

"How did you grow up in one of these things and not go insane, Blondie." He muttered, holding his shotgun tight.

"Vault 101 wasn't as creepy." Said Posey, looking at the Robobrain apprehensively.

"Please redress in your Vault-Tec issued Vault suits before proceeding," Continued the robot, heedless of their chatter. "If you have misplaced your suit, I am authorized to distribute a new one." The robot wheeled over to a cubicle like unit of shelving, on which dozens of neatly folded Vault suits were resting, organized by size. The robot picked up two suits and made its slow, careful way back to them, holding the suits aloft.

"Once dressed, please proceed down the stairs to the main floor so that you may enter your assigned Tranquility Lounger."

"Do I have to wear the stupid suit?" Grumbled Jude, looking down at the folds of blue fabric.

"You are required," Said the Robobrain, "to dress in your Vault-Tec issued attire. Please comply or I will be forced to take disciplinary actions."

"Alright, alright I'll wear the damn suit." Said Jude, snatching it out of the Robot's grip. He turned his back so Posey could change as well and shook out the Vault suit, looking at it critically before letting out a sigh and shuffling his armor off. He stepped into the suit, pulling it on and scowling down at the blue pant cuffs, which stopped quite a ways above his ankles. "Don't they have any bigger sizes?" He asked, looking at the robot while pushing his arms through the sleeves. "Or where all vaulties just shrimps?"

Posey bit back a laugh as Jude turned to her with a scowl. He'd been unable to zip up the suit all the way, and the blue fabric strained against his shoulders uncomfortably.

"This is ridiculous." Said Jude, yanking the sleeves off his arms and tying them around his waist as he'd seen Posey do back in Megaton. "Why do I have to wear this thing?"

"Come on," She said, picking back up her gun and slipping her jacket back over her shoulders. "maybe you'll start a new trend around here, too small Vault suits might be the next big thing."

"Ha ha ha." Said Jude sourly, tucking his armor under his arm and picking up his shotgun. "If crap hits the fan and I have to fight someone in this monkey suit, it's not gonna be pretty."

"Well let's hope crap doesn't hit the fan then." Said Posey, stepping past the Robobrain and pressing the command switch by the door in front of her, which slid open soundlessly. There was another set of stairs which they quickly descended down, following the only hallway available until they reached another door, which opened up into a large atrium like room. They stepped cautiously inside, looking around at the evenly spaced pod contraptions surrounding a tall, tower lit up with blinking red lights. Each of the pods had a multitude of wires which lead to the tower and lining the walls of the room were countless mainframes, casting an eerie greenish glow over the entire room.

"What the hell is this?" Said Jude, his voice low as he swept his gaze around the pods, feeling a prickle of fear raise goose bumps on his neck.

"I don't know." Said Posey slowly, "I've never seen anything like this before."

She took a careful step forward, looking around at the pods, which were a good six or seven feet tall, and about that long as well. Each one had their own glow, emanating from inside and Posey approached one, careful not to touch it, trying to peer inside.

"Tranquility Lounger." She read, looking from the inscription on the side up to the glass top. "I'm too short," She said, standing on tip-toe. "Come give me a boost."

What Jude wanted to do was turn right around and and leave this place behind and never look back, but instead, he dropped his armor and his pack, propped his gun next to them and went over to where Posey was standing, still trying to stretch up as high as she could to see inside the pod.

"Your dad better be here, Blondie." Said Jude, kneeling down, "Because if we came to this creepy ass place for nothing,"

"He'll be here." Insisted Posey, putting one hand on his shoulder as she carefully stood up onto his leg, peering into the Tranquility Lounge, "If he-"

She let out a strangled gasp and wobbled dangerously on his leg before falling backward and crashing onto the metal floor below, eyes wide and the blood draining from her face leaving her almost as pale as the first time he'd laid eyes on her.

"Blondie!" Jude reached out and grabbed her arm, hauling her upright as Posey looked up at the Tranquility Lounge in horror.

"He's in there!" Said Posey, scrabbling to her feet and shaking him off. "My dad! He's in there!"

"What?" Demanded Jude as Posey rushed forward, one hand splayed flat against the glass and the other fluttering about the thing, looking for some way to open it.

"Help me up!" Said Posey desperately and Jude obligingly placed his hands around her waist and lifted her up. "Dad!" She called, pounding on the glass. "Dad! Dad, it's me! DAD!"

"Let me see," Said Jude, lowering her down. Posey looked up at him, looking stricken before stepping back and allowing him to move forward. He raised himself up on his tiptoes, he could barely see a man who he recognized from the photograph at Posey's house in Megaton, seated in an armchair with his eyes fixed resolutely on a screen in front of him. His eyes were glazed over and when Jude rapped the glass, he didn't even twitch.

"How do we get this thing open?" Said Jude, looking back at Posey, who shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.

"I don't know, I-"

"You are not authorized to handle the Tranquility Loungers." Said a familiar automated voice, and they both turned to see another Robobrain wheeling its way towards them. "Please occupy your own Tranquility Lounger, or I will be-"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Said Jude impatiently, "forced to use disciplinary action, we get it. Blondie," He said, turning back to her, "Whatever these Tranquility Lounger things are, they're all connected, look," He pointed to the numerous wires running haphazardly along the floor.

"So if I get in that empty one," Said Posey, looking towards the last Tranquility Lounger, "I'll be seeing what my dad is seeing?"

"Maybe." Said Jude with a shrug. "I have no idea. If all these have people in them... I wouldn't dare pull any plugs lying around, in case they're really hooked up to these things. I think getting in there...I think that's our only option."

Jude had never encountered anything like this before, and looking around at all the Tranquility Loungers, housing people who'd been in there for two centuries, made him shiver.

"There's only one." Said Posey, "And I don't know what these things are." She bit her lip, gnawing on the inside of her cheek as she surveyed the loungers for a moment, her eyebrows drawn low. Her eyes flickered back to the pod where her father sat and her eyes hardened. "Here." She handed him her assault rifle and duffle and strode over towards the only empty Tranquility Lounger. "If...If anything happens, or if I get stuck in there." She said, her voice shaky as she looked back at him. "The house in Megaton is yours. Consider it my payment for all the help you've given me."

"Blondie," Said Jude, fisting his hands into the material of her bag, and feeling suddenly as if there had been a dramatic cut to the rooms air supply. "What're you-"

"Just promise you'll let Gob stay there till he pays off his debt, and don't you dare charge him rent." She continued, not looking at him and struggling to lift herself up into the Lounger, her feet scrabbling for purchase. Jude set her stuff down and stepped forward, lifting her up onto the Lounge's ledge before moving back and looking up at her, his gaze searching. Her face was pale, except for her sunburned nose and cheeks, and the marks on her neck from the raider were starting to bruise.

"Of course I wouldn't charge him rent." He said evenly, "Who do you think I am, Moriarty?"

Posey gave him a shaky smile. "Of course not," She said, and Jude watched her eyelashes as she blinked, hiding for a moment the bright blue of her iris.

"'Cause I'm nice." He swallowed hard, "Isn't that right, Blondie?"

"Real nice." She agreed, and this time Jude watched her lips, cracked and dry, twitch up in a smile.

"And unbelievably handsome." He added and Posey let out a wobbly laugh, even managing to roll her eyes as she got carefully to her feet, resting her hand on the top of the armchair. She looked back at him, and this time, her gaze was completely steady.

"If I make it out of this," She, said stepping into the lounge and settling back into the chair. "We really ought to see if you are a better dancer than Freddy Gomez. Just to be sure." The lounger hummed to life and the glass casing raised up, and slowly lowered itself down.

"You pick the time and place, Blondie." He called, and she smiled back at him as the lounger sealed her in, the monitor flickering to life. Posey tore her eyes away from his and looked up at it, and Jude watched as her eyes glazed over and her smile faded, and he was left alone, shivering in the Vault's frigid depths.

* * *

Posey

Sunlight. That was the first thing Posey registered. Sunlight, blinding her and soaking into her skin, burning the top of her head. She brought her arm in front of her face, shielding her eyes and waited for them to adjust, squinting hard against the visual assault. When she dared to open her eyes, Posey let out a gasp.

Trees! There were several trees, hedging in a technicolored neighborhood. Right in front of her was a smoothly paved road curling into a neat roundabout. In the middle of the roundabout was a patch of thick green grass and a couple of astonishingly bright pieces of playground equipment, their shiny chrome accents catching the light. And the colors... the colors. Everything was so bright! The sky, the grass, the houses surrounding road. So many different hues, and so brightly saturated, that it almost hurt her eyes to look at them. She got unsteadily to her feet, her head spinning slightly and she brought a hand to her head, frowning as her fingers encountered soft, silky strands. Everything felt off. Her arm, usually encumbered by her Pip-Boy was suddenly much lighter and she felt....short. And not in the way she felt short while standing next to Jude. She shook her head and looked down at herself before letting out a strangled gasp and stumbling back against the park bench she'd been seated on.

She seemed to be approximately ten years old again, or at least, physically she was. She stretched out her arms, feeling a mounting sense of foreboding as she noticed her Pip-Boy was gone, replaced by a small, round watch. The familiar figure of Vault-Tec's Vault Boy grinned up at her, its arms ticking around the small watch face. The ten-millimeter pistol she always carried with her on her hip was nowhere to be seen either. She ran her fingers down the soft fabric of the spotless, baby blue dress she was wearing. She felt her face, brushed her fingers across her forehead, but she felt no ridge of a week old wound, and her ear was also fully restored. Her hair was short and curled, neater than it had ever been, especially when she was ten, and she felt a large, silky bow at the back of her head.   
"What the hell?" She murmured, turning on the spot, the bright colors smearing across her vision and sending her head spinning again.

"Oh hey now, sweetheart." Admonished a voice, and Posey turned to see a man, dressed in a crisp white shirt, pressed khaki slacks and a neat sweater vest looking down at her in surprise. "That's awful strong language coming from such a pretty little thing like you! And on such a beautiful day, too!"

"Where am I?" She asked, and the man laughed,

"Oh, I get it. You and Betty are playing one of your little games." He said brightly, giving her a smile. "I think she's waiting for you, over at the playground. You go have fun now!"

"Wait!" Called Posey, but the man strolled away, whistling a jaunty tune and Posey watched him go, feeling her heart pound in her chest. "What the hell is this place? Where am I!"

The man didn't turn around. Posey cursed again under her breath and placed her hands on her hips, thinking hard. There didn't seem to be too many people around, and this place, wherever it was, didn't seem to be too spacious. Surely it wouldn't be difficult to find her father here. She looked around and saw people, all dressed in impeccable Pre-War attire, strolling down the neatly laid out sidewalks, all with wide smiles and bright eyes. It sent a shiver up her spine. Their smiles were too large, and their skin too smooth and rosy.

Hesitantly, Posey approached a little boy with neatly parted dark hair, sitting behind a little stand labeled 'LEMONADE' and said, "Excuse me,"

"Oh, hi there!" Said the boy cheerfully, looking at her with a wide smile. "I'm Timmy! Wanna play?"

"Um, no thank you." Said Posey, "I'm looking for my dad, have you seen anyone new around here?"

"Just you." Said the boy, "Haven't seen any dads around here, 'cept mine. Is your dad lost?"

"I've lost him, at any rate." Muttered, Posey under her breath, "What is this place?" 

"Tranquility Lane." Said Timmy with a slight frown. "Are you lost?"

"Sort of." Said Posey with a sigh. "I came here looking for my dad, I got into the Tranquility Lounger in the vault, Vault 112, and I woke up here. You're a vault resident, right? How long have you been here?"

"Vault?" Timmy frowned. "What's a vault? Like a bank vault? You went into a bank vault? Are you a robber!" Timmy looked both taken aback and impressed. "Wow! I've only ever played cops and robbers before. You must be an expert at that game!"    
Posey shook her head, letting out an annoyed huff. "I'm not talking about a game!" She said impatiently. "I'm talking about the vault! How long have you been here, Timmy?"  


"I've always been here." Said the boy with a shrug. "We've always been here. I mean..." He frowned, his eyes slid from hers, looking suddenly glassy. "I think so," He said slowly, "but, I do remember...I think...I think we went to the beach, once." He looked lost in thought but his face suddenly cleared and he shook his head sharply before saying. "But Betty doesn't like us to talk about that. Tranquility Lane is our home. It's alright I guess, 'cept I don't have nobody to play with but Betty...and she's kinda...well..." Timmy looked around anxiously, before saying hurriedly. "She's mean." He looked over his shoulder, as if waiting for this Betty to pounce on him from the brush.

"Okay," She said slowly, taking a careful step backward. What kind of rabbit hole had she fallen down now? "thanks, Timmy. I've got to go find my dad now."

"Bye!" Said Timmy. "Come back and find me if you wanna play!"

"Not likely," Muttered Posey, glancing up and down the street before stepping off the curb, the bright white of her patent leather shoes flashing across the shining black asphalt as she walked towards the park. She paused at the edge of the grass and felt her eyes grow wide as she looked down at several jewel bright flowers, bobbing in the breeze.

Despite her mounting sense of trepidation, she had to stop and crouch down, reaching out a gentle finger and just brushing a delicate petal, smiling as she felt the silky, delicate surface under her skin. The heady smell of them washed over her as she breathed in deeply, letting her eyes slide shut for a moment. She recognized a few of them from her old gardening manual: daisies, petunias and one of her favorites, a flowering gardenia bush, the elegant white petals spiraling out from the tight bud in the center.

She felt something brush against her arm and she jumped, toppling onto her side and scrambling hastily away on all fours. She looked over to see a dog panting up at her, its tongue lolling out of its mouth and its tail wrapped neatly around its legs. It barked and Posey let out a shaky laugh, pushing herself to her feet and brushing off the grass that had stuck to her hands and dress.

"Hi, boy." She said, leaning down and rubbing his ears. "I don't suppose you've seen my dad, have you?"

The dog barked frantically, wagging its tail and Posey's eyes widened. Surely, it hadn't understood her. Yet it looked up at her, startlingly blue eyes oddly intelligent, and familiar.

"What on-"

"Oh! Someone new to play with!" Cried a sugar sweet voice and Posey looked up to see a girl with oddly heavy lidded eyes, and silky chestnut brown hair crossing the smoothly manicured green grass towards her. The dog growled, its hackles raised and Posey looked down at in surprise. It had seemed friendly enough to her.

"Careful now," Said the girl warningly. "remember Doc, I'm in charge here."

The dog's growls abated, though it still looked threatening, its lips pulled back over its teeth, and its eyes trained on the girl in front of them.

"I'm Betty," Said the girl turning to Posey with a bright smile. Her sunny yellow dress burned into Posey's vision. "And boy am I glad to see you. I was just starting to get bored. Oh, we're going to have so much fun!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Said Posey, straightening up and glaring down at Betty, who was a head shorter than her.

"We're going to play a game now, silly." She said sweetly, smiling up at Posey. Her eyes were oddly colorless, considering their highly saturated surroundings. "That's what's going on."

"I don't have time for games," Said Posey impatiently, "I'm looking for my father."

Betty looked at her in disbelief before letting out a delighted laugh, "That was your daddy!" She giggled, "Oh, this is going to be much more fun than I realized."

Posey's blood ran cold.

"Where is my father." She demanded, feeling her own form of a growl building in her throat.

"I'll tell you where your daddy is." She said in her honeyed voice. "After we play a game."

"Look, I don't have time for games!" Said Posey, clenching her fists tight. "Tell me where my dad! is or-"

"Or what?" Said Betty, raising an eyebrow. "What'll you do? You're powerless here."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Said Posey, stepping forward, her fists still clenched tight. "Listen, I'm not here to hurt anybody, I just-"

Betty laughed again, cold, clear and cruel. "That's good," She said, shoulders still shaking with mirth, "because you won't be able to, not unless I want you to, of course."

"Listen here, kid, I don't have time for-"

Her voice died in her throat, her breath choking out in a gasp as she clutched her chest, watching in horror as a bright, scarlet stain spread slowly across the sky blue fabric. She felt as if someone was driving a needle between her ribs, aiming for her heart and she stumbled, falling to her knees as she felt thick, hot blood coating the back of her throat. She heaved, glutenous ropes of blood dribbling from her lips and clumping onto the grass below. The dog was barking frantically, and Posey's head felt like it was about to split open as her weak arms gave out and she slumped to the ground. She couldn't breathe, her lungs were slowly filling and the more she coughed, the more blood there was, and all she could hear now was her heart thundering in her ears, and her own gurgling breath until, just as suddenly as the fit had started, it ended.

She lay, panting in shivering in the velvety grass, the soft green blades tickling her cheek. Her whole framed trembled as she gulped down mouthfuls of air, tinged with the aroma of flowers. The dog was nosing her hair and whining as Posey struggled to sit up, looking down at her chest, but all she could see was baby blue cotton and bright silver buttons. She looked slowly up at Betty, who smiled down at her, her achromatic eyes sharp and cold.

"I said," She said softly, "we're going to play a game."

Posey didn't answer, she could feel the dog pressed up against her side and she wound her shaking fingers in its warm, soft fur.

"It's a simple game," Said Betty, turning and picking up a watering can resting on the ground behind her. The blood Posey had heaved onto the grass was gone. "You're going to make Timmy Neusbaum cry. Then I'll help you. If you don't..." She gave her a charming smile. "Then I guess you and your daddy are stuck here, and I'll just have to think of some other games to play."

Posey shivered, and the dog pressed closer to her. Betty turned and started watering the daisies behind her, whistling a dissent sort of melody. Posey could see a single drop of shining, scarlet blood on one of the petals.

"Come back once you've made Timmy cry." Said Betty brightly, and Posey got to her feet on shaking legs. The dog whined gently and she scratched its ears, giving him a nervous smile before turning and walking away from the park, Betty's cheerful whistling ringing in her ears. The dog followed her closely, still leaning against her leg and Posey was glad of its warmth as she made her way back to Timmy's lemonade stand, feeling her stomach clench.

"Oh!" Called Timmy happily, "You're back! I was hoping you would be! I really haven't played with anyone in so long." He smiled up at her, his cheeks dimpling and displaying a missing tooth. Posey swallowed hard and opened her mouth, but she didn't even know how to begin. How was she supposed to make a boy she didn't know, cry?

"Timmy, I-"

"Yeah?" He asked, leaning forward with a cheery smile. "Do you know what you wanna play? We could play cops and robbers since you've been inside a vault! Or spies! I could be a G-man and you could be a criminal. Or if you want I could be the criminal and you could be the G-man. We can take turns."

"I... I heard your parents are getting a divorce." Said Posey quickly. Timmy's smile froze, and Posey felt her stomach clench.

"What?" Said Timmy, and it was all Posey could do not to cry herself as he looked up at her with wide, stricken eyes, already welling with unshed tears. "No, no. My mom and dad love each other."

Posey shook her head. "Not anymore. They're splitting up."

"How would you know!" Said Timmy, getting to his feet and she could see the tears spilling onto his cheeks, each fat drop rolling down his rosy face and dripping off his dimpled chin. "You don't even live here! You don't know anything!"

"I heard them arguing." Said Posey quickly, and she felt her stomach twist into knots and she clenched her fists tight, feeling the sought after sting there. "I-I-I'm sorry, Timmy."

"Leave me alone!" He shouted, and he fled his stand, and Posey felt like throwing up. She dropped down onto the curb held back tears herself.

"It was just a lie," she said feverishly to herself, "one lie, in exchange to find my dad. That's not so bad, right?" She looked up at the dog who was still following her. It didn't move, just looked at her in a disapproving kind of way and Posey felt her heart sink. "I'm getting a morality lecture from a dog and it's not even saying anything." Said Posey thickly. "No, actually that's a good thing. I'm glad the dog isn't talking. But I hate this place!" She kicked a pebble viciously aside and let her legs splay out in front of her onto the jet black asphalt. "I just want to find my dad and get out of here. But you're right. It was wrong." She let out a sigh and hid her face in her hands. "I better go explain to Timmy." Said Posey through her hands. She looked at the dog through her fingers. "You still with me, even if I made some poor kid cry?"

The dog barked and wagged its tail and Posey got to her feet, brushing down her skirt before heading back to the house she'd seen Timmy disappear behind.

"Timmy?" She called hesitantly, "I, um, I wanted to apologize." She rounded the corner and saw Timmy, sitting on a swing hanging from a tree, tears still steadily dripping off his chin.

"What do you want?" He demanded, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

"To say I'm sorry," Said Posey, stepping forward and looking apologetically at the boy, who refused to meet her gaze. "I'm trying to find my dad, and Betty said she'd help me if I made you cry. I'm really sorry, Timmy. I didn't hear your parents arguing. I lied, it was the first thing that came to my head. I'm just trying to find my dad."

"So," He said, his voice thick and eyes still red. "my mommy and daddy..."

"I'm sure they love each other very much." Assured Posey, smiling and patting his shoulder. "And I'm sure they love you too."

Timmy sniffed heavily and gave her a watery smile "You mean it?"

"Yeah," She said, "I mean it. And I'm sorry. You're right, Betty is mean."

Timmy wiped his nose again and Posey's own nose wrinkled slightly in spite of herself, "Yeah," Said Timmy ruefully, "I hate her. I guess you're still too busy to play, huh?"

"Yeah," Said Posey with a sigh, "I gotta find my dad."

"Okay," Said Timmy glumly. "I hope you find him soon."

"Me too. Bye Timmy,"

She walked back out onto the street, glaring at the distant figure of Betty before she found the bench she'd woken up on and fairly collapsed onto it, propping her chin her hands and scowling, "Well," She said wearily, "back to square one." The dog rested his head on her knee, looking up at her mournfully, its ears pressed back against its skull and tail drooping low. "You're a good dog." She said, looking down at it, running a hand down its back. "Maybe I should invest in a dog once I find my dad and get the hell out of here. Think I can find one that doesn't want to rip my throat out?" The dog, of course didn't respond. "What am I gonna do." groaned Posey, "I don't want to go talk to that Betty again. But how else am I going to get out of here! I-"

"You...You don't belong here."

Posey looked up to see an old woman, staring at her with blatant fear. Unlike the others she'd seen in Tranquility Lane, her skin was haggard, and not just because of her age, and her dark eyes were sharp. "You're not supposed to be here!" Said the woman as Posey got to her feet and hurried over to her.

"You're awake!" Said Posey, stumbling to a halt in front of her. "I mean, you know this isn't real!"

"It's not real, none of it!" Babbled the woman, "It needs to end. This suffering needs to end!"

"I know," Said Posey, attempting to be soothing. "I know, how do I end it? How do I get out of here?"

"We're not really here," She muttered, not looking down at her. "We're not really talking. It's all pretend. Make-believe. We're just dreaming, sleeping... dreaming..."

The hairs on Posey's neck rose.

"How do I help you?" She asked, reaching out and taking the woman arms. "Ma'am? How do I help you!"

Her gaze drifted down to Posey, and Posey fought the urge to pull back. The woman's eyes were so pained, so broken that it caused Posey to recoil, and goosebumps to erupt across her skin.

"The dream," She said dully, "has become a nightmare. It has to end. But we're not in charge. He is. And he doesn't want us to wake up."

"He?" Demanded Posey, "He who?"

"Betty," Said the old woman, her gaze at last fixing on her, and sharpening. "At least, that's what he calls himself now. But he's still the same. He can put on as many new faces as he wants. He still the same. Still the same evil."

"Who is he?" Said Posey impatiently.

"Braun." Said the woman. "He helped create this world. So now he thinks he's God. But I know he still uses the Failsafe. I know it!"

"Failsafe? What Failsafe? What are you talking about?"

"The Failsafe Terminal." Said the woman, and her eyes slid out of focus again. "It's in the abandoned house. He doesn't let us go in there. He's afraid we'll find it. It's our only way out. The only terminal to the outside."

She looked back down at Posey, and this time her gaze was perfectly steady. "You've got to find it," She said, reaching down and clasping Posey's shoulders, her eyes fractured and frantic, she shook Posey by the shoulders. "You have to find the Failsafe and end all of this!"

She let go of Posey as if burned by her, and turned sharply around, drifting away aimlessly and Posey felt her heart pound as she clenched her fists tight in the fabric of her skirt, feeling the place where the old woman had gripped her throb.

"Abandoned house." Said Posey, trying to calm her racing heart. "Failsafe terminal. I can do that. Shouldn't be too hard, right?" She said shakily, looking down at the dog next to her. It nudged her hand with its nose and wagged its tail. "Yeah, yeah I didn't think so either. Come on."

The abandoned house thankfully was concealed from the playground by a line of trees, and Posey crept towards the door uninterrupted. She and the dog slipped inside. It was so dark inside that Posey froze, afraid she would crash into something while her eyes, still saturated with the outside's vivid hues, adjusted to the dim surroundings. Once they had done so, she looked around, scanning the room for any sort of terminal, but she saw nothing. Taking a hesitant step inside, Posey's leg brushed a small table near the door, causing an empty Nuka-Cola bottle to wobble dangerously. Posey shot out a hand to steady the bottle, and the moment her fingers came in contact with the glass, an odd, clear note sounded. It didn't come from the bottle, but echoed in from all sides, as if there were speakers hidden from view planted around the house. Posey released the bottle immediately and looked down at the dog with raised eyebrows. The dog nudged the bottle with its nose, and again, the same clear pitch resounded throughout the house and Posey drew a little closer to the dog, looking furtively around.

There was other random junk littered about the space, and Posey approached a garden gnome resting on a coffee table with careful steps. She prodded a garden gnome, and another note, at a different pitch this time, echoed through the room.

"What is this suppose to prove?" Said Posey with a slight frown. She went around the room, fingering the random bits of junk: A cinder block, a broken radio, and a chipped glass pitcher, each with its own specific note. Once the note from the pitcher sounded, there was a loud beep

_Ehh Ehh_

"Okay, so not that tune then." Said Posey. She went around again, this time in a different order, and as the same, negatory beep sounded. The dog rested its head on the ground, its paws over its ears. "Don't look at me like that." Said Posey reproachfully. "This isn't as easy as it looks!"

She tried again and was rewarded with the same effect. "This is going to take forever!" growled Posey, flopping down next to the dog on the floor. "How on earth am I supposed to guess the-" She paused, her mouth hanging open as she remembered the simple, seven note tune Betty had been whistling at the park. "Oh!" She lept to her feet and the dog raised its head, cocking it to the side while Posey flitted from one item to the next, humming under her breath. No sooner had she drawn her fingers away from the empty bottle when there was a sound like a burst of static across a screen and she turned and saw a large terminal materializing in front of her. The dog barked happily and Posey grinned, rushing over to the terminal and quickly logging onto it.

_Auxiliary Command Terminal_

_Please Consult a supervisor before proceeding_

_Access 'Chinese Invasion' Program_

_Access Version Control_

_Dr. Braun Entry: Toucan Lagoon._

_Dr. Braun Entry: Slalon Chalet_

_Dr. Braun Entry: Tranquility_

Posey read each option out loud before looking down at the dog with raised eyebrows. "What do you say, boy? Should we poke around a bit?"

The dog barked and wagged its tail and Posey smiled. "That's what I was thinking too."

She selected Version Control and read aloud: "Version 3.2.0005, Exceptions granted for Pod 0001, Manual Override for Pods disabled. Remote access allowed, User S. Braun has privileges, Updated neural inputs to override memory access for individual users, Revised code for Vault Maintenance Robots: Authentication from S. Braun required before further updates allowed, User UNKNOWN Granted Access, User UNKNOWN Altered by S. Braun."

She looked down at the dog with a frown. "User Unknown? Was that me, or dad? What does altered mean?"

She went back and selected Braun's entry for Toucan Lagoon.

_I've finally come to the realization that the Toucan Lagoon simulation has run its course._

_I'm tired of the beating sun and the ceaseless pounding of the lagoon's waves upon the shore. I no longer take pleasure in watching Simpson wither away from scurvy, or hearing Neusbaum's screams as he's devoured by the mako shark._

_I am, quite simply, bored. It is time to reset the simulation once again._

_I haven't been skiing in ages._

_Posey shuddered, "What a creep._ " The dog nuzzled her hand comfortingly and Posey smiled down at him, scratching his ears. "Okay, I think I've read enough of this sickos diary today. Let's find out how we get out of here, shall we?" She went back again, and this time, selected _Access 'Chinese Invasion' Program. Dr. Braun Entry: Failsafe_

"Now we're talking," Mumbled Posey, striking enter crisply and once again reading aloud.

_"There are days I consider finally "pulling the plug," as it were, and putting a permanent end to both this simulation and my life. That is the reason I requested installation of General Chase's Chinese invasion program, after all. By disabling the safety protocols, I have ensured that each subject in Vault 112 will physically die if their in-simulation avatars are killed._

_Real-world death. End of simulation. The perfect failsafe._

_At least it would have been, if not for my own misjudgment. I knew, when the simulation first went online, that the secondary safeties those established for all Vault-Tec and military personnel would prevent my own real-world demise in the event of a Failsafe execution. In the end, I would kill the subjects, and save myself._

_I wouldn't want it any other way. Or so I thought._

_It's true the Failsafe would scare the living hell out of every resident in Tranquility Lane, and lead to their brutal deaths. But then what about me?_

_I have no ability to disable my own safety from within the simulation. And any other avatars I could create would be driven by the simulation's A.I. routines, not actual living, thinking, human subjects._

_Where's the fun in tormenting a machine?_

_And so, the release of the real-world subjects is more than they deserve, more_ that _I could bear. They'd be dead, and I'd be left here in Tranquility Lane, alone and tragically bored for all eternity._

_I can think of nothing more unacceptable."_

"So, they'll all die." Said Posey numbly, she looked down at the dog and saw that its ears had dropped and it looked up at her, its previously bright eyes subdued. "Would that mean you too? And me?" The dog whined and Posey dropped down to her knees in front of it. "I won't let it kill us." She said firmly, placing her hands on either side of its face. "We'll go tell that old woman what this all means, and see what she says, then we'll decide, but whatever happens, you stick with me." She ruffled its fur fondly, "I'll make sure we get through this, okay?" The dog barked quietly and pressed its nose to her forehead and Posey laughed, gently pushing it away. "Don't get me all slobbery, come on, buddy, let's get the hell out of here."

Posey found the old woman, standing in front of a house, staring listlessly out and the beautifully colored world around her with those tragically shattered eyes.

"I found the Failsafe." Said Posey, once she was close enough, and the woman looked at her, a spark flickering in her eye.

"You did?" Croaked the old woman, and Posey nodded, feeling the ridiculous bow at the back of her head bob against her neck.

"I did, but if I activate it, you'll all die."

The woman smiled sadly, "Dear," She said, patting Posey's shoulder. "we've been dead for a very long time."

A shiver went down Posey's spine, and she knotted her fingers in the dog's fur.

"Please," Said the woman, "initiate the Failsafe. End this. There are things worse than death, my dear."

Posey nodded and swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. She gave the woman a forced smile, and turned and hurried back to the abandoned house.

Posey heard them, the minute she pressed enter. Gunshots, and screams. Her heart in her throat, Posey ran to the door after giving the dog a firm order of "Stay!" She threw it open. Several armed soldiers marched down the streets in a tight formation, shouting orders in a sharp, foreign language that Posey had never heard before, while the residents of Tranquility Lane scattered in a panicked frenzy. Posey watched in horror as the old woman who she'd been speaking to walked calmly into the fray, a peaceful smile on her face, even as a bullet struck her, straight in the chest and she crumpled backward. A sob built in her throat and she felt the dog's head under her hand as she sank to the ground on the old house's steps, hiding her face in his fur.

"W-w-what have I done?" She choked out, and the dog whined softly, nuzzling her hand as she stood, swaying slightly on the spot, watching the carnage in front of her while feeling her stomach lurch. "It's for the best." She said numbly, "That's what she said. It's better to die now, then go on like this for centuries." She said, more to calm herself than anything else. "We've got to get to Braun," she said thickly. "he's got to let us out of here now. Come on, stick close behind me."

She slunk low to the gate, but the soldiers paid no mind to her, and as she crept along, she realized neither she nor the dog was in any danger from the uninformed men.

"Let's make a break for it," She said, turning back to the dog, who barked and so the two of them sprinted across the road. The toe of her ridiculous shoes caught on something and she slipped, falling hard against the asphalt, crying out as her hands and knees grated across the rough surface. She looked back the man who'd first greeted her in Tranquility Lane, looking blankly up at the sky. Posey scrambled away, more tears bubbling out of her eyes as she got clumsily to her feet, holding her ragged hands to her chest. The dog barked, and Posey ran towards it and the park, where Betty, or rather Braun, stood, looking out with silent dread at the world he'd created tumbling down around his ears. The grass beneath her suddenly shriveled, the bright emerald shrinking to a dusty brown and all of the flowers in the park withered, their graceful green stems twisting and contorting into blackened twigs.

"Do you realize what you've done!" Raged Braun, and his voice was no longer that of a ten-year-old girl's. It was deep, grating and tinged with a guttural accent. "You've triggered the Failsafe!" He bellowed, "Ruined EVERYTHING! The subjects will die and I'll be left here in this hell alone!" His voice trembled and slipped "You've ruined everything!" He screeched, and his voice was young and girlish once again, "EVERYTHING!"

"It's over!" Snapped Posey, "Over, Braun! Now shut up, and answer my questions!"

"It is not over!" Seethed Braun, his colorless eyes bulging and his voice reverting back to a man's. "It is not over until I say! Do you understand me?! I...I..." His voice faded back to a girls, and he trembled, almost piteously. "I just want things to go back the way they were." He sniffed.

"You torturing people for centuries?" Demanded Posey, "Is that what you want? Hate to rain on your parade, jackass. My father came looking for the G.E.C.K., what is that?"

"The Garden of Eden Creation Kit." Said Braun, and it sent a shiver down Posey's spine to hear his deep, growling voice coming from such a small, pale pink mouth. "It was a terraforming module, for restoring the world after nuclear detonation. Unstable technology, and ultimately boring. Why remake the old reality when you could create any reality you choose?" He said, sounding exhilarated. "Take this place for example. It was my crowning achievement. Tranquility Lane." He said proudly, gesturing out to the neighborhood around them. The white picket fences were now spattered with blood. "I'd formed other simulations, but they always grew dull with age. But not this place. It never ceased to amuse me, tormenting the subjects in a situation which should have made them feel safe and secure. It was beautiful."

Posey's skin crawled. "You're sick, Braun." She spat, "Now, where is my father?"

Braun let out a loud cackle, and Posey jumped, drawing her fist back and lip curling in a snarl. "You mean you have not realized?" He said with a chuckle. "You were smart enough to trigger my Failsafe but too dense to see what was right in front of your nose? The dog, you simpleton."

"What?" Posey looked down at the dog with wide eyes. It looked back at her, and let out a soft bark.

"Man's best friend," Said Braun sardonically. "But now you've taken all my friends."

"Funny way of treating your friends." Said Posey with a scowl. "Is my dad okay? I can...get him back?"

"He's fine." Said Braun with a wave of his hand. "Once you leave the simulation I'm sure he'll be waiting for you."

"So, I'm free to leave?" Asked Posey,

"Isn't it obvious," Snapped Braun, "You've run the Failsafe, disrupted everything. I have no power over you."

A door materialized to Posey's right, and Betty's mournful voice said, "There's the door, go."

Posey looked back to the dog, her dad, then back at Braun.

"What are you waiting for!" He snapped, "Get out!"

Posey threw open the door and stepped into the empty white beyond.

Jude.

Jude had no way of keeping track of time down in the Vault with no sun above him, and no Posey with a handy Pip-Boy beside him, but if he were a betting man, (which he was on occasion) he'd guess Posey had been in that pod for at least five hours. Five long hours, which he'd done nothing but roam around the Vault's main room and clean and repair his and Posey's guns meticulously.  
He was sitting now with his back against the wall, his knees up and elbows resting on them, counting the tiles on the floor around him when suddenly, the glow which had been constantly emitting from each of the Pods went out. Jude looked up, his heart pounding in his throat as he scrambled to his feet and ran to the nearest pod, skidding to a halt and leaning in to read the Resident Status terminal he'd discovered hours ago.

_DISPLAY RESIDENT STATUS_

_Pulse: 0_ bpm

_BP: 000/00 mmHg_

_Temp: 85 F_

_Respiratory Rate 0/min_

_***RESIDENT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION***_

_DISPLAY RESIDENT STRESS LEVEL_

_Stress Level: No Reading_

_***RESIDENT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION***_

"No!" He growled, pounding on the terminal and looking over at Posey's pod across the room. "No, no, no!" He sprinted over to it just as there was a loud hiss and the glass top slowly raised, and he saw Posey, lying limply in the lounger's seat.

"Posey!" He said harshly, vaulting up onto the lounger and grabbing her shoulders. "Posey! Hey! Blondie! Look at me!"

Posey's head lolled and Jude's heart sank, his grip on her shoulders tightening as an unexpected lump rose in his throat.

"Blondie?" He croaked, "Hey, Blondie..."

She jerked upwards with a gasp and Jude jumped backward in surprise, toppling off the edge of the lounger and landing painfully on the floor below. "Son of a bitch!" He groaned, sitting up slowly onto his elbows and looking at her reproachfully. "Cripes, Blondie, warn a guy! You've been in there for five hours! What the hell is that thing?"

"Long story," she said shakily, attempting to crawl out of the lounger on trembling legs as Jude hauled himself to his feet, wincing. "I'll tell you later, I need to find my-"

"Posey?"

Jude looked over and saw a man, wearing a lab coat and a rumpled Vault 101 suit, with Posey's bright blue eyes, staring at her in utter shock.

"Dad," She said, her voice weak with relief as she practically fell from the pod, pushing Jude away as he caught her before she crumpled to the ground. "Dad!" Thick with excitement and unshed tears as she took two bounds and practically lept into her father's arms. She was crying and had her arms so tight around the man, Jude's own ribs ached in sympathy. Her father had stumbled under her onslaught, but quickly recovered and hugged her back, pressing his cheek into the top of her head and squeezing his own eyes shut. Jude leaned against the tranquility lounger, allowing the two of them some privacy, but he could still see Posey's face as she drew back, beaming up at her father with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Posey, what are you doing here!"

Both Jude and Posey were shocked at James' harsh tone, and Posey's smile instantly faded as her father continued, "I gave you a direct order, not to follow me! How could Jonas-"

"Jonas is dead." Said Posey shortly.

Now it was James' turn to falter. He cut off, mid lecture, eyes wide and looking pale.

"Wh-what? Jonas is-"

"Dead." Finished Posey coldly. "The Overseer had him killed because he helped you escape."

"Alphonse did what?!"

"He went batshit crazy!" snapped Posey, folding her arms across her chest and glowering at him. James started slightly at this turn and Jude could practically see the anger bubbling under Posey's skin. "And as to what I'm doing here, I just saved you! I drug you out of that pit of crazy and the least, the very least you could say is thank you! Do you have any idea what I've been through, looking for you!"

Jude was surprised. Posey had always seemed mopey and teary eyed at the thought of her father, and now that she'd found him... well, suffice it to say, Jude didn't want to trade places with the old man anytime soon. She was letting him have it.

"They kicked me out of the vault, Dad!" She shouted "Amata had to damn near smuggle me out! They tried to kill me! So of course, I left! I would have anyway, even if they let me stay! How dare you, how dare you, leave me like that! You knew, you _knew_ how badly I wanted to leave the Vault! You knew and you left me behind! You-You lied to me!"

Her voice cracked and Posey ducked her head, taking a shuddering breath. Jude took a hesitant step forward and saw as James' eyes darted to him the first time and narrowed slightly before looking back at his daughter.

"Posey," Said the doctor weakly, "I-"

"Just a sec, Doc." Said Jude apprehensively. "It's probably better if she gets it all out now."

James bristled but grudgingly remained silent as Posey looked up at him, her eyes red rimmed but completely dry.

"Born in the vault, huh?" She said, hoarsely. "When were you going to tell me that was utter bullshit?"

"Posey-" He tried, but she ignored him.

"Not to mention that I had to hear it from a sleaze bag like Moriarty. He was the one who told me. He corrupted your fatherly image, no problem. I idolized you, Dad. I thought you hung the moon. You said jump and I asked how high. How could you lie to me?"

"I did it for your mother." Snapped James.

Posey paused, but she stayed quiet as James took a deep breath and said, much more gently this time. "When your mother first found out she was pregnant, she was so worried. She always said that this wasn't the world she wanted to bring our child into. But I assured her, with Project Purity being so close to completion, the world would be better soon, for us as a family. She still fretted, but I promised her that no matter what it took, I would keep our baby safe. No matter what. Then, she was gone," His voice broke and he paused, exhaling slowly before clearing his throat and continuing steadily, "and you were here, and I was so afraid that I'd lose you too, sweetheart. Out here, in this harsh world, and Project Purity seemed suddenly impossible without your mother. So, I quit." His shoulders slumped slightly, and he dragged a hand down his suddenly haggard face. "I gave up, and I left and took you with me. I'd heard of a Vault near Megaton that was still safe, that was sending out scouts occasionally to explore. I found the scout and convinced them to take me...us... back to the vault."

Posey hadn't moved a muscle since he'd spoken, her enormous blue eyes were fixed solidly on her father, and her father's gaze didn't waver from her either. It was like Jude was invisible. Not that he cared, he knew all of this was a long time coming.

"My medical training secured us a spot in Vault 101," Continued James, "but Alphonse made me promise that once the vault doors were sealed again, which happened shortly after we became residents, that I would never speak about the wasteland again. He wanted the vault to stay pristine." James rolled his eyes, "It was only my advanced medical skills that let us stay at all. The Overseer's wife and his second child had died in childbirth, something that might have been averted had she had proper medical attention. But he still didn't trust me, and the feeling was mutual but you were safe, and that was all that mattered to me. That's all that has ever mattered to me, Posey."

James rubbed his tired eyes and let out a sigh, looking much older than he had a few moments ago. He looked down at his daughter and said quietly, placing both hands on her shoulders, "I only lied to you because I had to. If The Overseer found out I had told you that neither of us were born in the vault, he might have kicked us both out, and I couldn't stand that. I lied to protect you, and it nearly killed me. I could see that curious spark jump in your eye anytime someone mentioned The Wasteland and I never wanted a life of violence for you. I never wanted you to endure the hardships of The Wastes." He paused and reached up, running his thumb over the scabbed over wound on her forehead. "Posey, please believe me. I love you sweetheart, and all I've ever wanted was to keep you safe. Every time I lied to you, and you would look up at me, completely trusting me, it broke my heart. But I promised your mother that I would keep you safe, and the best way I knew how to do that was to keep you in the vault."

"But you left me." Said Posey softly, her penetrating blue gaze never leaving his.

"Because I also had a duty to your mother to finish Project Purity. If only you could have known how much it meant to her. Project Purity was what brought Catherine and I together. I was doing it for her, and for you. Clean, pure water for everyone. The world you dreamed about as a child, a world with bustling cities full of happy, healthy people could happen! And Project Purity is the first step."

James let out another sigh and said, "What I'm trying to say, Posey, is... I'm sorry. I am so so sorry that I lied to you. I love you. You have to know that."

Posey dropped her gaze and said, addressing the toes of her boots. "Yeah well, you've made it pretty easy to forget lately."

Even Jude recognized that as a low blow, and he saw James' face crumple slightly, and he said, his voice rough, "Posey, I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay."

She looked up at her father, who was shaking his head, refusing to meet her gaze,

"No, Posey it's not, and I'm sorry. I-"

"No, Dad, really. It's okay." She said sincerely, and Jude saw the change in her gaze. Her anger and bitterness were gone. "I forgive you. You're my dad, I'll always forgive you eventually. I kind of have to, I love you."

James regarded his daughter with overbright eyes, a small, sad smile twisting his lips.

"When did you get to be so grown up?" He asked quietly, brushing back the fuzzy flyaways Posey's hair was prone to.

"Well, I am nineteen you know." Said Posey with a grin.

"Ach, you're still my little girl." He said warmly, and Posey's smile widened and she hugged him fiercely, hiding her face in his chest and mumbling.

"It's good to see you, Dad. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, and Posey?"

"Yeah?" She asked, drawing back and looking up at him with a soft smile.

"Thank you." He said sincerely, "For everything."

"Well, I figured if I wanted to keep up with being your favorite daughter I'd have to step up my game."

"Oh Posey," Said James with a laugh, leaning down and kissing her scarred forehead. "You'll always be my favorite."

Jude watched the exchange between father and daughter silently, arms folded and face passive. He would have felt awkward, or perhaps a better way to say it, more awkward if it had been anyone else with all the 'I love you''s and hugging but he knew how long awaited this moment was, and he wouldn't interrupt. Still, Jude couldn't shake the feeling that despite Posey's ultimate goal having just been met, this, whatever this was, was far from over.

* * *

James

It was surreal to see Posey standing in front of him, in a Vault that wasn't 101. Despite it only having been a week ago, it felt like years since he'd seen her last. Not to mention that she looked so.. different. Her nose and cheeks were sunburned to the point of almost blistered, and the rest of her skin tanned from exposure to the harsh, wasteland sun, and her hair looked lighter. No doubt from the sun's effects as well. She looked thinner, her cheekbones and deep set eyes even more prominent now, and the blue of her eyes looked so much brighter juxtaposed against her sun darkened skin. But her smile was just as kind as always, and the light in her eyes just as lively as Posey beamed up at him.

James smiled back, framing his daughters face between his hands and saying, "I can't believe how well you handled Braun back there. That was amazing, sweetheart."

"It was nothing." Said Posey, blushing and looking down.

"Nothing?" Chided James, lowering his hands, "Posey, you were incredible!" He looked past his daughter, to the man standing a little ways to the left of them, his arms folded across his chest, and watching the two of them carefully. "Posey," He said, raising his eyebrows slightly at the sight of the well muscled young man, "Care to introduce me to this strapping young fellow here?"

"Oh!" She said, blushing brilliantly and stuttering, "Right! Sorry, of course. Jude, this is my dad. Dad, this is my Jude." She blushed brighter than ever and quickly squeaked out, "I mean Jude! Just Jude."

"Well, which is it," Said James with a slight smirk. "Your Jude, or Just Jude?"

"Dad!" Hissed Posey, positively glowing pink.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Said Just Jude, stepping forward and nodding at him.

"Ah," Said James, extending his hand, which Jude gripped in a firm handshake. "a well-mannered mercenary you've picked up."

"Dad," Said Posey, stepping between them, "Jude is not a mercenary. He's my friend. he's saved my life dozens of times. He helped me find you, and he's taught me how to live out here in the wastes."

"Oh, well then." Said James, releasing his hand and stepping back, giving the man an appraising sort of look, his gaze lingering slightly on the clearly too small jumpsuit. "My apologies, sir."

"No need, Doc." Said Jude, refolding his arms, "I've done my fair share of merc work. No offense taken. It's not a bad job."

James raised his eyebrows slightly and Posey quickly intervened, saying,

"Well, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?"

"Yes," Said James, turning back to her with a fond smile. "there is in fact, a plan. We need to go back to Rivet City and convince Doctor Li to assist us with Project Purity."

"Okay," Said Posey, clapping her hands together, "we'll start first thing in the morning."

"No."

Posey and Jude both turned in surprise, looking back at him in mild confusion.

"We must head to Rivet City now, we've not a moment to lose." He insisted.

"Dad," Said Posey, almost as if addressing a child, and James frowned slightly. "No offense or anything, but Project Purity has waited twenty years. Can't it wait another eight hours? There's got to be sleeping quarters around here, clean ones, and there's that medical bay behind us that we need to clear out. But we can sleep here without worrying about a guard or raiders or who knows what else, and," She checked her Pip-Boy, "it is approximately three in the morning, so if it's all the same to you, I personally would like to get some shut eye."

James started in honest surprise. "Is it really that late?" He asked, checking his own Pip-Boy in disbelief.

"Oh, Daddy Dearest," Said Posey with a smile, patting his shoulder. "You and that wonderfully configured internal clock of yours. I'm going to go try and hack this computer now and steal some medical supplies."

She turned and walked to the terminal fixed to the wall, and Jude silently followed, glancing around the Vault and the Tranquility Loungers uneasily.

"You sure there's nothing to worry about down here?" He asked, "I mean apart from the several dead people stuck in those pods. No security bots or ghouls infiltrated or anything?"

"The robot's pose no threat." Said James, catching up to the pair. "And I don't smell any of the usual putrefaction indicative of-"

"Feral ghouls?" Finished Posey, typing away at the terminal. "No, I'd say this place thoroughly clear. Ah ha!" She cried triumphantly as the door beside her slide open.

"Well look at you two," Said Jude, smirking slightly. "you're a perfect pair of eggheads, aren't you?"

"Like father like daughter," said Posey with a smile she and James entered into the medical bay. "I inherited more than his good looks, you know."

"Ah, and you've got your mother's quick wit." Said James appreciatively, throwing his arm around her shoulders. He gave her a gentle squeeze and said in a low voice. "As much as I wish you were somewhere safe, it's good to see you, sweetheart."

Posey smiled and laid her head on his shoulder,

"Good to be seen, I really missed you."

James pressed a kiss to her temple before moving over to examine the many medical supplies the room had to offer.

"At least you've finally fulfilled your lifelong dream of being an explorer." He said with a smile, counting out several Stimpacks, not to mention plenty of antibiotic ointment and multiple suture kits. "How much of the Wasteland have you seen?"

"Not enough." Said Posey, hopping up onto the counter next to him while Jude rummaged through cabinets. "It's kind of..."

"Derelict?" Asked James with a smile, "Hostile? Dusty?"

"Well, yes." She said, rolling her eyes and smiling down at him. "It's definitely a wasteland, but Dad," Her grin widened, "The sky! It's so big! And the stars!"

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"When you can see them, yes. And sunsets!"

"Sunrises were always your mother's favorites. But I preferred sunsets, myself. They always seem to be more-"

"Colorful," Agreed Posey, and James smiled up at her. His brief stint in the Wasteland had been...taxing, to say the least, but now, with Posey here, it was hard to remember why he'd wanted her to stay back in the first place. She, like her mother, had the great talent of absolutely lighting up a room with their presence. It was something he hadn't realized he'd missed so much in their time apart.

"Will the sky always be so hazy?" Asked Posey, swinging her legs back and forth.

"One project at a time, love. First, we'll clear the water. Then we'll clear the air."

"We?" Asked Posey with grin.

"Oh, most definitely we." Said James, packing away all the useful medical supplies he'd found. "Now that you're here I'm never sending you away again."

"Or leaving me behind?" She asked, and in that moment she looked so young, her eyes enormously wide and it was not at all difficult for James to remember her as she had been as a child.

"Or leaving you behind." He said, reaching over and patting her knee. "I'm not going to lose you, Posey. Ever. I think you and your well armed friend are in it until the end now."

"Jude isn't," Said Posey, dropping her gaze and looking once again, a little flushed. "He can leave whenever he wants."

James looked back at Jude, who had finished his own ransacking and now stood, leaning against the wall with his arms folded and his gaze fixed on Posey. There was no lust in his eyes. No hunger, or longing. Just a steadfast, unwavering look. Protective, almost, but James had a feeling he would let Posey fight her own battles. He would just stay as close as he could during them.

"No," Said James, turning back to his daughter. "I think Jude is in it for the long haul too."

Vault 112 didn't have many empty sleeping quarters, but there enough for them each to have a separate quarter, but Posey clearly wasn't letting him out of her sight anytime soon, and as James had quickly noticed, Jude went where Posey went, like a much larger, much more heavily muscled shadow.

There was an apartment, not unlike the one James and Posey had occupied back in Vault 101, that suited their needs well enough, with a couch and two bedrooms. Posey and Jude let their bags fall to the floor, and James set his own small pack on a shelf near the door as Posey turned to him, half of her mouth twitching up in a smile.

"What?" Asked James, "Do I have something on my face?" He looked behind him, "I don't still have a tail, do I?"

"No," Said Posey with a laugh. "It's just good to have you back. It's odd, being back in a vault with you after everything that's happened, but... I dunno, I'm just really happy, is all."

"Me too, sweetheart." Said James with a smile, and he gave her a quick hug before drawing back and saying "Now, what was that you said about getting some sleep?"

"Right," Said Posey, smiling. "I'll see you in the morning, goodnight Dad."

"Goodnight, Posey. I love you."

"I love you too." She turned to Jude, who was already seated on the couch, looking as tired as James felt. "'Night, Jude."

"Goodnight, Blondie." Said Jude, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Posey smiled again, before disappearing into one of the bedrooms, the door gliding soundlessly shut behind her.

"You can take the other room, Doc." Said Jude, looking up at him with red rimmed eyes. "I'll crash here."

"You're sure, Mr..."

"Hiller, sir. Jude Hiller."

"Well, if you're certain Mr. Hiller, that's a very kind offer. Thank you."

"No problem"

Jude looked awkwardly away and started to rummage in his pack. James sensed the action more as something to do rather than actually needing anything.

"I understand I have much more to thank you for than just the better of the bunks, Mr. Hiller." Said James, taking a seat in an armchair across the coffee table from him. "You saved my daughter's life."

"Yeah well," Jude rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "She's saved my skin a few times too. Pretty resourceful, your daughter."

James smiled and looked back at the door where Posey was sleeping. "That she is," he said softly, "that she is."

"She's done a lot to be proud of, Sir."

James looked back at him with raised eyebrows. "Oh?"

"I'll let her tell you," Said Jude with a shrug, "her stories to tell, but...She's done a lot, in a little amount of time, and," Jude looked a little flustered, "she's... well she's a hell of a girl. That's all there is to be said really."

James looked at the man in front of him, who looked much more like a boy than he had previously, and felt a soft frown tug on his lips.

"How did you come to meet my daughter, Mr. Hiller?" Asked James, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

"We, uh, well we met in Megaton, I suppose." Said Jude, nervously meeting James' eye. "She was looking for you, fresh out of the vault. And, well, she was sort of running her mouth, asking lots of questions which people don't really take kindly to, and I told her I saw a man who could have been you up at Moriarty's, so she went up there, and I didn't see her again for a while, and I got curious," the longer Jude spoke the more flustered he became, and James thought he saw a flush creeping up on the young wastelander's face. "so I asked the bartender, Gob, if he knew where she went, and he said she went to D.C. so I, well, I followed her, and said I'd help her find you."

"And for what, Mr. Hiller? What sort of payment are you aiding her for?" Said James shrewdly, and Jude said quickly,

"No payment. She's not exactly rolling in caps. I don't expect anything from her, sir."

"Hmmm." James narrowed his gaze slightly, if only to watch the poor boy squirm for a moment before settling back in his chair with a slight smile. "Not many people will do things out of the goodness of their hearts these days, especially such a long, troublesome venture as this. You must be a good man, if Posey has traveled this far with you." Jude definitely flushed now, and didn't say anything.

"She trusts you." Continued James, watching Jude with a careful eye, "Do you trust her?"

Jude dropped his gaze, staring at the cold steel floor beneath his booted feet.

"Yeah." He said at last, "Yeah. I trust her."

James smiled, "And I see your trust is not as easily given as Posey's is. Yet, here you both are, alive and well. Which is indeed something I am very grateful for. I owe you a great debt, Mr. Hiller."

"No, like I said. She's saved my skin as much as I've saved hers."

James hummed slightly, before leaning back and looking at the door, behind which Posey presumably slept on.

"She use to have such trouble falling asleep." Said James, more to himself than to Jude. "When she was a toddler, she always would come into my room, curl up with me. She had to hold something, to fall asleep, so she'd hold onto my collar. Made it very difficult to sleep, mind you." Said James, looking back at Jude with raised eyebrows. "But, what could I do? She was my little girl."

Jude's mouth twitched in a slight smile, and James got to his feet with a sigh.

"Well, I'll let you get some rest. And, once again, thank you, for bringing her safely to me. I can't thank you enough."

"Sure thing, Doc." Said Jude, and James nodded at him before departing into the small bedroom. As the door closed behind him, James shook his head, taking off his lab coat and draping it over a chair. He sat down on the end of the bed, clasping his hands together and thinking of Posey, and of Catherine. He thought too of the man outside, whom Posey trusted completely, and who in turn, trusted her, and the way that Jude had looked at her back in the medic bay. He shook his head and ran a hand down his face with a soft chuckle. Posey had indeed, accomplished quite a lot, in a very short amount of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's song is by American Authors, and as always, I'm always up for new song suggestions!
> 
> What did you guys think of James' and Jude's interactions? XD I got a kick out of writing that, I'm not gonna lie. My precious cinnamon roll Jude, I love him.
> 
> As always, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! And Iove you very much if you already have reviewed, and you guys are also my precious cinnamon rolls who are too good for this world and I love you. If you haven't reviewed, I still love you, but I would love you even more if you did. My heart would probs just explode. Seriously guys, please review. It's so frustrating to see that my story has got a ton of hits but not a single review. Reviews are what I live for! They're why I get up in the morning!  
> ...okay maybe not that far but you get the idea.


	13. Wild Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wild things will chase you down  
> They'll steal your throne and break your crown
> 
> Don't ever look them in the eyes  
> You'll only find a nest of lies
> 
> You've got the hatred that you  
> You've always hated in you  
> You've got to face them now
> 
> Try to stay away  
> From where the wild things play

Posey

It was disconcerting to wake up and have the room around her be just as black as it had been when she'd fallen asleep. Sure, Posey had done so for nineteen years, but after a week of opening her eyes to sunlight, the oppressive darkness of Vault 112 felt thicker than ever. She sat up, shivering and pulling the blankets, still warm from her skin, up around her shoulders before slipping out of the room she'd been staying in. Her stocking clad feet padded silently into the other room, the dull glow of her Pip-Boy's default screen the only light present in the darkness. She could hear Jude's steady breathing as she checked her Pip-Boy for the time. It was a little after seven thirty, and Posey debated on waking both Jude and her father and telling them it was time to be off.

She couldn't help the smile that twitched her lips at the memory of her father, alive and well, in the next room. In some ways, it seemed too good to be true. The Wasteland was unforgiving, as she was coming to realize. Yet, it had been good to her. She'd found her father, and yes they'd had a bit of a rough patch, but that was over now. She had him back, and they weren't stuck in a psychopathic, artificially simulated neighborhood left to be tormented for all eternity.

So that was a plus.

She heard Jude turn his sleep, saw the outline of his sleeping form by the glow of her Pip-Boy before he suddenly jerked upright and cried out:

"Holy shit!" His voice cracked, and Posey jumped, hurriedly clicking on her Pip-Boy's flashlight, and whirling around to comb the blackness with its rays but she saw nothing.

"What?" She asked, turning back to Jude, who held up a hand to block the fluorescent rays of her Pip-Boy.

"Don't you ' _What?_ ' me!" He said, his voice still hoarse with sleep, "What are _you_ doing? Just _looming_ like that!" Said Jude, squinting in the light of her flashlight. "This Vault is creepy enough! Cripes," He lowered his hand to his eyes, scrubbing at them with a scowl. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Posey smirked, " _Looming_? Really, Jude?  _Looming_?"

The overhead lights flickered on and Posey turned and saw her Father standing in the doorway to his own room, looking both surprised and a bit suspicious at the odd scene in front of him. Posey, still with her blankets draped around her shoulders like a cloak, and a very groggy looking Jude with a stormy scowl tugging on his lips.

"Morning, Dad." Said Posey, grinning widely up at him while Jude pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes with a quiet groan.

"Good morning..." He said slowly, "Everything alright out here?"

"Your daughter just about scared me to death." Said Jude, looking blearily up at Posey with a scowl. "But other than that, yes. Everything's fine."

"I'm sure. I hear she strikes fear into the hearts of many." Said James with a small smile. Posey frowned and crossed her arms over her chest,

"Like who?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm quite sure Freddy Gomez was terrified of you, my dear."

Posey rolled her eyes, but her lips still twitched in a smile. "Well since we're all bright eyed and bushy tailed,"

Jude glowered,

"Shouldn't we be on our way?" Asked Posey.

"Indeed we should be." Said James with a smile of his own. "Off to Rivet City."

"Off to Rivet City." Agreed Posey, with a grin.

 

The wasteland air was still cool as the three of them stepped out of Smith Casey's Garage. Jude especially looked relieved to be back under the open sky and free of his "monkey suit" as he'd called it, which he'd quickly abandoned in favor of his usual leather armor, which Posey had to admit, looked much better than the too small vault suit.

"Does the wasteland have seasons?" Asked Posey, shivering slightly as a crisp breeze washed over the group. "I mean, it's technically spring, but it's nothing like the spring I've read about." She reached into her duffel bag for her jacket.

"It has varying temperatures." Said James conversationally. "Spring has cool nights and mornings and warm to hot afternoons. Summer, well it's just hot, the nights still get rather chilled, however, but there's never any precipitation and the weather patterns and daylight hours don't really vary, so it's not technically a season, although-" He cut off, mid lecture and looked down in something, not unlike horror at Posey's jacket, which she'd slipped on during their conversation.

"Posey Marie Bennett." Said James, looking at his daughter with wide eyes. "Is that a Tunnel Snakes jacket!"

"Oh," Said Posey, looking down at the black leather around her shoulders. "Yes. Yes, it is."

"And is that," James looked at the name in silver stitching on the lapel, aghast. " _Butch Deloria_! Why are you wearing Butch Deloria's jacket?!"

Jude sniggered while Posey felt herself blushing. "Dad, it's not what you think!" She said, holding her hands up to placate him,

"Oh, it better not be what I think." Said James, looking more stunned than angry. "I thought I raised you better than that!"

"All I did was save his mom from radroaches!" Said Posey, defensively. "I was escaping the Vault, and there was a radroach infestation, and they had Butch's mom cornered, so I helped her. I killed all the roaches and Butch gave me his jacket, as a thank you."

" _You_  took on a swarm of radroaches," Asked James in disbelief.

"Yes, I did." Said Posey defensively, "It's not that hard to believe. And really Dad? Me and Butch?  _Really_?"

"Alright, alright." Said James, patting her on the shoulder as he passed her, taking the lead of their little group. "You're my daughter and I love you, even if you have questionable taste in men."

"Dad!" Cried Posey indignantly while Jude bit back a laugh. Posey scowled and swatted his leather bound arm. "Don't you take his side!"

"Oh no." Said Jude, holding up his hands in surrender, while still keeping a firm grip on his shotgun, "Nuh huh, Blondie. I ain't takin' any sides. No way."

"Smart man." Called James and Posey could hear the smile in his voice.

"Don't make me regret saving you." Said Posey, addressing her father's retreating back. She tried to coax her mouth into a scowl, but all it seemed to want to do was grin.

"Wouldn't dream of it, darling." He said, shooting her a smile over his shoulder.

He continued on his way, his hands in his lab coat's pockets, whistling cheerily and Posey looked after him, exasperated but also feeling happier than she had in days. Jude drew even with her and watched James walk away with a smirk sideling up onto his lips. Jude looked down at her while simultaneously propping his shotgun on his shoulder.

"I like your Dad." He said with a grin.

* * *

It was unreal how much easier the wasteland suddenly seemed to traverse. It was as if Posey had been walking around with two left shoes, or rather, like she'd been holding her breath for a week and a half. But now her dad was back, and everything was so much clearer. The air that much crisper in her lungs and the sun that much warmer over her skin. All was right with the world. Or, what was left of the world anyway.

"So, you've been to D.C.?" Said her father, walking along beside her and looking at her with wide eyes. "Truly? Through the metro and into downtown D.C.?"

"Yes." Insisted Posey with a laugh, while Jude walked behind the pair, keeping his eyes roving across the horizon, though he too seemed to be enjoying himself.

"You spoke to Three Dog?"

"I did." Said Posey, smiling and shifting her grip on her rifle, distributing the weight a little more evenly as they walked. "I picked this puppy up in D.C., swiped it off a Mutant. Or was it a Raider?"

"It was a Raider." Clarified Jude from behind the pair. "We took it off that Raider who shot your ear off."

"What?" Demanded James, looking horrified and Posey laughed, pulling back her hair to reveal her now partially mangled ear.

"It's really not that big of a deal." Said Posey with a shrug, letting her hair fall back over her shoulder. "It just took a chunk out of my ear. Could have taken a chunk out of my skull, but it didn't."

"Oh, my-" James drew a hand over his face, looking fretful. "Are there any  _other_  injuries I should know about?"

"Well, you saw my bullet graze," Said Posey nonchalantly, running her fingers over the ridge that followed the curve of her forehead, almost down to her temple. "I got that from a Vault 101 Guard, I also fractured my knuckles punching one in the face, and I got my arm dislocated by Officer Mack. But those are all pretty much taken care of. I scraped my neck on a rusty old subway car. Let's see, what else...Oh! And I got nearly strangled by a raider."

"Which wouldn't have happened if you'd just listened to me." Said Jude grumpily, and Posey shrugged, feeling her heart twinge again at the thought of the boyish raider.

"Good lord," Said James weakly, but Posey smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"But I'm fine now, Dad. I've got battle scars. I kind of like them, actually."

James still looked distressed, but shook his head and said, moving on with a sigh,

"Now remind me, what did Three Dog make you do?"

"I had to go to the Museum of Technology and get the Virgo II's landing dish and replace his broken broadcast relay at the Washington Monument." Recited Posey for what seemed like the hundredth time. And she still hadn't even told him about all of her Megaton adventures. She didn't really want her father to know she'd managed to make an enemy of one  _Mister Burke_  quite yet.

"That bastard!" Said James, scowling fiercely. "Didn't you tell him you'd only been out of the vault for two days!"

"Yes, Dad, I did." She said patiently, smiling while James fumed. "But hey, at least we can get Galaxy News Radio, all over the wasteland."

"I don't suppose he plays any Peggy Lee, does he?" Asked James hopefully.

"I don't think so." Said Posey with a smile.

"Shame. I rather liked her record back in the vault's jukebox."

Posey laughed as they entered a gully of sorts, steep rocky embankments shooting sharply up on either side of them, casting their party into shadow and dropping the temperature by several degrees, and Posey almost reached for her Tunnel Snakes jacket again, which she'd put in her bag as the sun slowly ascended and grew warmer.

"What was that one song you liked so much?" Asked her father while Posey carefully picked her way across the rock littered ground, stepping a head of him so she was now in the lead.

" _It's a Most Unusual Day_." Said Posey, "It talked about the sky a lot. It kind of reminds me of today, actually." She said with a grin, looking back at her father and Jude before singing out:

" _It's a most unusual day, feel like throwing my worries away! As an old native born Californian would say, it's a_ most _unusual day!_ "

Her father was laughing and even Jude's lips twitched in a smile as Posey hopped from rock to rock, belting out the lyrics in a bright, if slightly off key voice.

" _There's a most unusual sky, not a sign of a cloud passing by_ ," The path turned sharply, obscuring the view ahead of her and Posey leaped down from the rock she'd been standing on, twirling around the corner.

" _And if I wanna sing, throw my heart in the ring_ -"

Posey's singing ended in a strangled gasp as a resounding roar echoed around the little canyon and some... _thing_  whirled around, bearing down on her faster than Posey could have imagined. Eight feet tall, hunchbacked and vaguely humanoid, with a large, horned, reptilian like head, the creature leered down at her and Posey stumbled back, bringing her rifle up and shooting wildly at the thing which let out another ear-splitting roar, spittle flying from its maw full of yellowed fangs, and brought an enormous hand, ending with long razor sharp claws crashing down in a deadly arc, right at her head.

Her shot and her stumble probably saved her life. As she tripped backward over one of the many rocks, the longest of the claws, almost like the creatures middle finger, caught at the skin just in front of her right ear and brought it viciously down, its other talons tearing at the skin at her neck, and shredding her armored suit. Jude's shotgun rent the air and the creature staggered back, yowling again, but its thick scaly skin seemed difficult to penetrate.

Posey felt her chest and neck burn, pain emanating all the way to her navel and the tips of her fingers, and blood quickly soaked her front. Her father was by her side in an instant, a pistol in his hands and rapidly firing at the things legs.

"Get back!" She cried, pushing back the blinding pain and grabbing his arm, she ran pell mell back the way they'd come as Jude threw two frag grenades, one right after the other at the creature.

"Dad, run!" Shouted Posey over its roaring and Jude's gunshots.

"I'm not leaving you!" He bellowed back, eyes hard and knuckles white on his gun's grip.

"Jude and I can handle this! Just-"

She let out a cry as she felt an enormously powerful grip seize her torso, and she was jerked viciously backward while simultaneously being lifted into the air. Posey's rifle clattered to the ground and she felt the creatures rough skin under her fingers as it tightened its grip, and Posey let out a choked gasp, feeling an excruciating splintering sensation as saw the creature's gaping jaws, its rancid breath washing over her as she kicked viciously at its teeth, her vision spinning with both pain and fear.

She could hear her father's shots as if from a great distance, and the thing bellowed angrily at him, swatting in his direction, but he dived behind a boulder. The beast roared again and Posey saw a flash of silver and dark hair and suddenly the creature stiffened, its cry cut off and ending in a gurgle as it arched its back, its vice like grip loosening and Posey slipped out of its claws, crumpling into the dirt, which sent a blinding stab of pain through her chest.

Through streaming eyes, she saw Jude, blood coating the side of his face, matting his black hair to his scalp standing in front of the thing, one hand wrenching the creature's head down by a horn. His lips were twisted in a vicious snarl and his other, bloody hand gripped the handle of his combat knife so tightly his muscles shook. He twisted the knife viciously, and yanked it down the animal's neck, the tough muscle and skin buckling and tearing, and blood spattering across Jude's face as he hit what Posey guessed to be an artery, before pulling the knife free.

She could hear her father's anguished voice in her ear and feel his hands under her arms as he moved her away from the fallen beast, but all she could see was Jude, and the creature's blood streaming onto the dirt below as it fell slowly, almost gracefully, still gurgling and twitching. Its horned head drooped gently back onto the ground. Jude stood over it, his back to her, his knife still clenched in his bloodied hand, shoulders trembling.

"Posey! Posey, look at me!"

Posey tore her gaze from Jude and looked at her father, feeling dizzy and weak.

"Posey!" He cried, his eyes frantic, and hands stained scarlet from her blood.

"I-I'm alright." She said through trembling lips "At least... you should see the other guy. It's not spurting, at least. That's a good sign, right?"

He let out something between a sob and a laugh and pulled her to him, hiding her face in his shoulder and careful of her injuries.

"Thank God, Posey." He said into her hair. "Oh, thank God." He took a shuddering breath, pressing his stubbly cheek against the top of her head, and Posey thought for a moment she could feel his tears seeping into her hair. "I thought I'd lost you."

"You can't get rid of me that easy," She said, pulling back, though she winced at a knife like stab of pain through her ribs. Now that the excitement was over, she started to truly feel the pulsing, burning sensation from the deep lacerations. Her father pulled back, now looking at her wounds with a more critical, professional eye.

"You'll need stitches." He said, "And at least two Stimpacks. Probably more, considering that brute's grip. How do your ribs feel?"

"Not good." Said Posey, feeling ashen faced and wondering if it was from blood loss or the thought of stitches. Probably both.

She couldn't quite tell what sort of state her torso was in, it all felt like a searing mess. But she didn't feel anything too much farther down from her clavicle seeping blood, so she at least had a  _few_  minutes left to live. Hopefully a lot of them, seeing as she wasn't in any danger of bleeding out anytime soon. Two of the gashes, the one near her ear and the one on her neck, were shallow thanks to her well timed trip, but she couldn't tell about the ones on her chest. There was certainly a lot of blood, soaking the front of her shirt and the edges of her vision were blurry with pain.

A shadow fell over her and she looked up to see Jude, his face spattered with gore, a grisly addition to his already freckled face. The skin around his eyes was tight, and she could still see the indentation of his knife's handle in his palm. For a moment, he looked as wild as any Raider she'd ever encountered, but then, he crouched down next to her and she saw how badly his hands were shaking.

"You okay, Blondie?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Posey's vision swam and she felt as if the earth were rolling beneath her, but she managed a weak, "Yeah."

"Should we move her, Doc?" Asked Jude, and James frowned, shaking his head.

"Not yet. That thing has cracked some ribs. We'll get a Stim or two into her, and wait for those to set in before we try. That should help clot the lacerations and slow down the bleeding as well."

James pulled off his lab coat and wadded it up, placing it behind Posey's back and the boulder she was leaning against, and helped her out of the top half of her armored Vault suit, which was now in dire need of repair.

"It probably saved your life, that suit." Remarked James, pulling the cap off of a Stimpack once she was clad only in her not-so-white-anymore tank top. Before she could protest, he stuck it into her torso, right between her ribs.

"Ow!" yelped Posey, looking at him reproachfully, but James was busy fiddling with the other necessary medical supplies. "Probably," Agreed Posey begrudgingly, still looking petulantly at the other Stimpack in his hand. "How's it look?" She asked, moving her gaze and keeping her eyes trained on Jude's back, who sat a few feet ahead of her, his back respectfully turned while he cleaned off his hands and knife, the dirty water he'd salvaged from the raider camp tinged pink before it soaked into the wasteland dust.

"It's ugly," said James grimly, "But with a couple of Stims, some stitches and some sterile bandages, it should be fine."

He let out a shaky sigh, and Posey turned to him despite the pain in her neck. He drew a bloodstained hand down his face, looking as if he'd aged ten years in ten seconds.

"Oh sweetie," He said brokenly, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Dad." Said Posey emphatically. "If it's anyone's, it's mine. I wasn't paying attention and I was being too loud."

"I just wish you could have stayed in the Vault,." He said, looking mournfully up at her, and Posey was instantly reminded of his time as a dog in Vault 112. "where it was safe."

"Dad," Began Posey, exasperated.

"I know, I just-" He hung his head, "I felt so powerless, paralyzed with fear. Posey, if anything happens to you out here, I'll never forgive myself."

"You didn't seem paralyzed to me." Said Posey, "And I'd rather spend a few weeks out here, with you and a chance at freedom, than a whole lifetime down in that vault alone."

"Your mother-"

"It's just like you said," Interrupted Posey. "it's just you and me now" She reached out and covered one of his bloodstained hands with her own, "and so long as we've got each other, that's all that matters. Don't you remember how many times you said that to me when I was a kid?" She smiled, squeezing his hand tight. "I'm  _okay_ , Dad. If I'd stayed in the vault I'd be dead for sure. You're not going to lose me out here, I promise. I can take care of myself, and when I can't, Jude steps in and saves my bacon."

James flashed her a weak smiling, cupping her cheek with his other hand and brushing his thumb under her eye, wiping a stray tear away. "I know, sweetie. I know you can." He glanced over at Jude, who was methodically cleaning Posey's rifle, his repair kit open next to him and the rest of the group's weapons spread out, awaiting his careful care.

"And it's quite true about Mr. Hiller," Said James ruefully, letting his hand drop from her face. "I really do owe that young man a word of thanks."

"I definitely do. Now Dad, mind patching me up? These scratches hurt like hell."

"Right, of course." James began sorting through the first aid kit in front of him, and carefully injected another Stimpack while Posey looked pointedly away, grinding her teeth.

"So," She said as he started to clean the cuts and Poey dug her fingers into the soft dirt next to her. "this won't delay us too long on your trip to Rivet City, will it?"

"Don't worry about that," Said James, his hands, as always, gentle yet confident in their work. "I don't want to rush you, with your cracked ribs. We'll set up camp here, and see how you feel in the morning."

"Right here?" Asked Posey, dubiously eyeing the hulking corpse only a few yards to their right.

"Okay," Said James, glancing over at the bloodied mass. "maybe we'll move on a little further, but not much. The stimpacks should help with your ribs. They've already slowed your bleeding by quite a bit, but you'll have to be careful and promise me that even though it hurts, you'll take deep breaths every hour or so. I don't want you getting a pulmonary infection out here."

Posey took a slow, deep breath, flinching as she did so. It felt like she was inhaling broken glass.

"What was that thing?" She asked while her father tore open the sterile suture kit from Vault 112.

"That was a Deathclaw, a young one, judging by its size, but still," Said James, carefully readying the needle and suture thread. "we are very lucky that Mr. Hiller acted so quickly. Deathclaws are very very dangerous, but the flesh under their jaw is vulnerable."

Posey looked apprehensively at the suture needle in her father's hand, swallowing hard as it glinted in the Wasteland sun.

"I'll be quick." He said apologetically, "I promise. It's just these ones on your chest that need stitching, and they're not very long."

She finally glanced down at the wounds causing the bloody mess and winced again. Now that her father had cleaned the blood away, she could see the four, deep slashes, furrowing into her skin. Not long, they started an inch above her collarbone and stopped about four finger widths below it, just above her breast, but they were deep and stood out vividly against her otherwise pale flesh: red, raw and angry.

"Well, that's gonna leave a mark." Said Posey shakily.

"Here."

Both doctor and patient looked up to see Jude, holding out a flask and looking stubbornly off to the right, not even risking looking down at Posey and her few inches of exposed flesh.

"Best to get a little buzzed first." Said Jude, still looking anywhere but at Posey. She smiled, in spite of the throbbing pain. It was sweet, his respect for her modesty.

James looked disapprovingly at the flask before saying

"She's not twenty one."

Jude did meet James' eye, however, and raised his eyebrows.

"Pre-War legal drinking ages don't really apply anymore. Unless you've got any other kind of anesthetic. I had some Med-X, but that bastard threw me against a rock and it broke the syringes in my pack."

"How's your head?" Asked Posey, looking at the blood now cracked and drying on his temple.

"Just a scrape, really." He said with a shrug. "I promise, I'm not concussed." He gave her a small smile, which Posey returned.

"What's in it?" She asked, looking from the flask back to Jude's face.

"Whiskey from Moriarty's."

Posey's lip curled at the mention of Moriarty.

"No thanks." She said distastefully.

"Blondie," Said Jude, exasperated.

"I can handle it," Said Posey settling back against her rock. "Just distract me, like back in the metro. Dad, carry on.

"There's a little numbing gel here," Said James, "It will at least numb the skin a little. I promise sweetheart, I'll be quick."

"I know you will. Jude," she patted the space next to her while her father smeared the anesthetic cream onto her skin.

Jude sat warily on the ground next to her, once again carefully avoiding looking at her bare flesh, despite the portion exposed being far from scandalous.

"So get to distracting," Said Posey, looking quickly away as her father began to stitch up the torn flaps of skin. "you're next you know," she said through gritted teeth. "We forgot to have him look at your arm."

"Oh, yeah, that." Jude looked down at the bandage on his left arm.

Posey flinched and grit her teeth at the sting of the needle and the uncomfortable tug of the suture thread.

"Jude!" She hissed, "Distract!"

"Right, sorry. Um," Jude's eyes were wide and he almost looked panicked. "What do you want me to talk about?"

"Anything! Tell me your favorite story."

"My favorite-" his eyes looked fearful as she flashed her own towards him, scowling fiercely. She sucked in a quick breath as she felt the needle again and shot her hand out, taking Jude's tightly in her own.

"Ow! Hey-"

"Get. Talking!" She said through gritted teeth, and James shot Jude a sympathetic look.

"O-okay!" Stuttered Jude, cringing himself at her vice like grip on his hand. "Okay, my favorite story... Uh... Once, t-there was a man, an outlaw by the name of Robin Hood."

Jude, as it turned out, was a good story teller, once he fell into the rhythm of it. His voice deepened and once he got into the swing of it, was full of the right inflections. Posey's father worked fast, and soon he was covering her fresh sutures with antiseptic and covering them with sterile gauze, just as Jude finished, saying:

"And King Richard returned, and Robin Hood was given a Lordship, and he and Maid Marian were married, and I'm  _assuming_  they lived happily ever after, because I haven't heard otherwise."

Posey smiled at his ending while James sat back, looking tired, but pleased.

"There." He said, once he'd applied a few butterfly bandages to the her neck, just to keep the skin together. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Let's just say I've endured worse, recently." Said Posey, finally releasing Jude's hand, which he promptly shook out, wincing.

"That's the spirit." Said James smiling, "Resilience. It's a good trait out here. Now, Mr. Hiller, let's see that arm of yours, and we'd better check on that head injury as well."

Jude and Posey switched spots. Her ribs still ached with every movement, but not the same sharp, breath stealing pain as before, as the stimpacks worked their magic.

"Do you want me to tell you a story now?" Asked Posey with a smile while James unwound the bandage around Jude's arm and started pulling the bloodied gauze away.

"He hasn't even said if it needs to be stitched up yet." Said Jude with a frown, just as James announced:

"Yes, I think some sutures are in order. Posey, hand me another kit, would you please."

Posey smiled while Jude rolled his eyes, and she handed over another kit from her father's bag.

"I'll clean it out, stitch it up and you should be right as rain." Said James and Jude winced as he started swabbing isopropyl alcohol into the wound.

"My offer of a story still stands." Said Posey with a smile. "I've got quite a few in my repertoire. I had the fourteenth issue of Grognak the Barbarian, with no missing pages. Might ruin the thirteen others ahead of that for you though."

"Never cared for Grognak." Said Jude, cringing as James began to suture his arm. "I only ever read the eighth one. And not all the way through, it was my br... I mean... it wasn't mine."

Posey frowned and filed away another mysterious detail she would have to ask him about later, if she caught him in a good mood.

"No Grognak then." Said Posey, "What about Cinderella then? That was my favorite story growing up."

"What the hell is a Cinderella?" Asked Jude, looking over at her with his dark eyebrows drawn so low they almost met in the middle.

"Not what, who. She was a princess."

"Did you like her because she had a funny name too?"

Posey scowled, " _No_ , and I don't have a funny name."

"Well at least it's not as bad as Cinderella."

"You should just let his wound get infected, Dad." Said Posey, looking at her father, whose lips twitched in a smile.

"As a medical man, it goes against my code of honor to do so." Said James, not looking up from his work. "However, I must say I am quite fond of your name."

"Thank you." Said Posey, turning back to Jude with a triumphant smile. Jude simply rolled his eyes.

"Alright then, let's hear it. Who is this Cinderella?"

Posey smiled, despite her twinging ribs and burning skin.

"Once upon a time," She said, relaxing against the boulder. "there was a little girl named Ella, whose father and mother loved her very much..."

 

All injuries now accounted for and taken care of, Posey got gingerly to her feet, feeling her ribs painful protest at the movement. Jude ran his fingers over the new bandage and Posey weakly swatted his hand away.

"Don't touch it, your hands are filthy. You'll get an infection."

"I thought you wanted it infected?" Said Jude while James gathered up the spent medical supplies and stowed them carefully under a rock, so as not to contaminate their sterile equipment.

"If you lose your arm what use do you think I'd have for you?" Said Posey, smiling wanly. She was starting to feel the toll of the afternoon's adventure, and thought that perhaps sleeping by the Deathclaw's corpse wouldn't be as bad as she originally imagined.

"...Moral support?" Asked Jude after a pause and Posey smiled, a little more animatedly this time.

"You, supplying moral support? You're not exactly a bright little ray of sunshine, Colorado."

"Excuse me? I am a  _delight_."

Posey laughed then winced, "Oh! Don't make me laugh." She moaned, "It hurts."

"Sorry, Blondie."

James straightened up, his pack over his shoulder, as well as Posey's duffel bag.

"Well onward, ever onward." He said brightly but Posey held out an arm, despite the subsequent flash of pain in her torso.

"I can carry my own bag, Dad."

"I know you can," He said evenly, slinging the strap over his shoulder. "I also know that it would hurt, a lot. And I don't like the idea of you in pain. Call me old fashioned."

"You're far from old fashioned, Dad." Said Posey with a smile. "You're actually quite progressive."

"Glad to see I haven't fallen behind the times."

"I'll scout out a head a little ways." Said Jude, slinging his shotgun over his arm and picking up Posey's hunting rifle instead.

"Alright," Said Posey, "be careful."

"Always am, Blondie." He gave her a small smile, that didn't quite reach his eyes, and took off, jogging ahead and slowly shrinking from view. Even after he'd disappeared, Posey continued to look after him, her eyebrows drawn low and lips puckered in a frown.

"It's not your fault, you know." Said James, watching his daughter carefully. "Deathclaws have an excellent sense of smell, and it was downwind of us. It was well aware we were there already, it was just lying in wait."

"Yeah, but if I hadn't been acting like an idiot-" Said Posey with a sigh.

"You weren't being an idiot." Said James, leading the way past the Deathclaw's carcass, and Posey carefully skirted the bloodied remains, unable to look away from the thing's claws, tinged red with her blood.

"Singing and dancing in the middle of the wasteland is pretty idiotic." She countered, wrapping her arms gingerly around herself as she took a deep breath, gritting her teeth against the flaring pain. "Anything could have heard me."

"You were just-"

"Being an idiot."

"No," Said James patiently, "actually, the older you get the more you remind me of your mother."

Posey looked up at him in surprise, but he hadn't turned back to her.

"How so?" She asked, following him carefully, each step set her ribs aching.

"Your mother was a brilliant scientist, and her work was vital to Project Purity, but there were other reasons why she was invaluable to the project. She always seemed to know what to do to raise everyone's spirits. She was fearless, your mother. She let the world see her exactly as she was. If she was happy, she wanted the world to know there was a reason to be, no matter how silly or  _idiotic_ -" he cast her a meaningful look over his shoulder. "others thought her actions to be. She was...passionate. About life, about love. But most of all...most of all, she was passionate about you."

Posey was silent, watching her father as he walked, wishing she could see his face. Her father had never spoken about her mother much. Posey knew that her loss still hurt him, more than he let on she was sure. She'd always thought her mother must have been the luckiest woman alive, seeing how deeply her father loved her, even after she was gone. He never even mentioned anyone else, and though Posey knew Beatrice from the vault had once shown interest her father, James had politely turned her down. Posey didn't miss her mother, per say, she missed the opportunity of having a mother very much, but she didn't know enough about her to truly miss or mourn her. And yet, she felt a sudden stab of something deeper than the pain of her injured ribs.

"Dad," She asked hesitantly, "how did...Did Mom... did she really die giving birth to me? Or was it something else, something that you couldn't tell me because of the whole 'Born in the Vault, Die in the Vault' business."

"No, it was complications with childbirth that took her." Said James, and she saw his shoulders stiffen and his hands clench. "I never lied about your mother, sweetie."

"Okay." They continued on in silence, but Posey felt nearly twenty years worth of questions building on the tip of her tongue. Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, she asked, "What did she look like?" 

James slowed to a stop, allowing Posey to draw even with him, and when she did so, he gave her a sad smile.

"Well," He said, hiking her bag higher up on her shoulder before they set off again. "I obviously am a little biased, but I think she was probably the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen." He looked down, shaking his head and smiling slightly, looking almost abashed. "That was a little cheesy, wasn't it?"

"A little." Said Posey with a smile. "Everybody says I look like you, do I not look like Mom at all?"

"You have her smile," Said James, "and her laugh. And a lot of her mannerisms, actually. She loved to read as well, and dance. She had one plucky dimple in her right cheek, just like you. Just the one. She had red hair, a lovely shade of red, that she hated. I never understood why. She always wished she was a blonde."

"I always wished I was a redhead." Said Posey in surprise, and James' lips twitched in another sad smile.

"Like I said. Very similar."

"Do you remember her favorite color?"

"I think...it was either yellow, or pink. Maybe both, soft shades, like-"

"A sunrise." Said Posey in wonderment. How on earth could she be so like a woman she'd never met?

"Yes, rather like a sunrise I would imagine." Said James with a smile. "And she loved looking at pictures of flowers. She knew, if our baby was a girl, that she wanted her to be named after a flower. We had quite the list: Rose, Lilly, Magnolia, and of course, Posy. We added the 'E' later, in the spelling. Catherine thought P-O-S-E-Y looked better than P-O-S-Y written down. I guess she knew already her daughter was going to make the History books." He said with a smile, and Posey blushed, and would've shaken her head if turning her neck didn't hurt.

"Were you hoping for or a boy or a girl?" She asked.

"Catherine said she'd be perfectly happy with either, but I think she secretly hoped it would be a girl. She certainly spoke about our daughter quite a lot."

"What about you?"

"I didn't care, boy or girl I'd be happy with either." He gave her a smile and said warmly, "But I'm glad, very glad Posey, that our baby was you."

Posey blushed, but she managed, through a tremulous smile,

"You know, I think leaving the vault was the best thing we could've done for our relationship. I don't even care that you embarrassed me in front of Freddy Gomez while he was asking me out anymore."

James chuckled, "Well that's a relief," He said with a warm smile. "that was putting a serious strain on our relationship."

Posey felt oddly shy, but she smiled back and looked at the ground before them, still with her arms around her torso to brace her aching ribs against her movements.

Her father had always been affectionate, but in a quieter, almost subtle way, with his easy teasing and gentle smiles. He'd been almost sparring with his praise when she was growing up, but when she did earn it, it was always very sincere and she could tell her father believed every word he'd said. So this, open and direct approach when Posey felt she had hardly done anything to earn his admiration, made her wary. Perhaps it was the reminiscing about her mother, or his odd, melancholy smiles, but Posey couldn't shake the disturbing feeling that it was almost like he was saying goodbye.

* * *

They'd been walking in silence for a few minutes when Posey heard Jude's voice call:

"It's me Blondie, don't shoot."

She turned and saw him cresting a small hill just to the left of them, and her face split into a wide smile as he jogged down the low slope to meet them.

"I don't think I'm going to be shooting anything for a while." Said Posey once he'd reached them. "I'm pretty sure the kickback from my rifle would break my ribs...again."

"Technically your ribs are just cracked." Said James, "But the force of firing a rifle may persuade them to break properly this time."

"Oh,  _persuade_. How diplomatic of my rifle." She met Jude's gaze, expecting him to join her in smirking at her little joke, as he ordinarily he would have. Or at least have graced it with an eye roll. Now, however, he seemed to have trouble mustering up even a smirk.

"I found a good spot to stop for the night." He said, jerking his thumb in the direction he'd come from. "It's just a hop skip and a jump that way."

"I think hopping and skipping are off my agenda for a while as well," Said Posey, placing a tentative hand against her ribcage, "but lead on."

Jude nodded, and turned around, heading back up the way he'd come while Posey and her father followed after him.

Despite her rib's painful protest, Posey jogged the few short paces to Jude's side and asked, quietly:

"Jude, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He said, though he didn't look back at her. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno, you just seem..."

_Brooding and mysterious, as always_. She thought, frowning slightly. "Quiet." She finished at last.

"Maybe I'm just quiet."

"You are, but sometimes you're not and it's very confusing for us mere mortals to understand." Said Posey, trying not to sound whiny or demanding.

"So stop trying." He said, at last glancing down at her, and Posey fought the urge to shrink back. The lines around his eyes, which she was slowly becoming accustomed to seeing crinkled in a smile, were haggard, and his eyes looked wild. It was almost like when he'd been twisting his knife under the deathclaws throat, as much a monster as the one he'd been destroying.

"Jude,"

"I'm just tired, Blondie. I'm fine."

He sped up, and she watched him go, waiting for her father to catch up with her before setting off again.

"Everything alright?" Asked James lightly, and Posey shrugged, before realizing what a bad idea that was to do with cracked ribs.

"Less alright," She said with a groan, and James shook his head.

"You need to be careful," he admonished, "you can't just bounce right back from something like that, stimpacks or not."

"I'm fine." She said, though it now felt like the lining of her thoracic cavity was on fire.

"What were you and Mr. Hiller talking about?"

"I was just asking if he was okay, he seems a bit...shaken up."

"Deathclaws are one of the most feared creatures in the Wastes." Said James, looking up at the Jude, whose back was still turned to them. "People grow up to horror stories about them, like you grew up with stories of ghosts haunting the reactor floor. The only difference being, Deathclaws are a very real threat."

"So is the ghost of Mary Jenkins," Said Posey, "you weren't there when she yanked my cap right of my head."

"This wouldn't be when you and Amata where down there after curfew, trying to spot the elusive ghost, would it?"

"We would never have gotten caught if Butch hadn't screamed like a little girl when my flashlight went out." Said Posey sourly.

"And what exactly was Butch doing down on the reactor floor with you, after curfew," Said her father with a warning tone, raising an eyebrow, _" in the dark_." 

"Professing his undying love while trying to steal my precious innocence." Said Posey flatly. "What do you think, Dad? Trying to scare Amata and me! Didn't work, by the way.  _He_  was the one we had to walk back to his apartment."

James shook his head and Posey grinned, "I've got all sorts of tricks up my sleeve, Daddy-O."

"I don't doubt it." Said James dryly, as they crested another small hill and saw the slowly degrading remains of an old overpass, under which Jude sat on the hood of a rusted up car.

"Figure this oughtta be good enough for the night." Said Jude as they approached, shading his eyes against the fading light.

"Seems alright to me." Said Posey, who was happy just to stop. She felt sure that once she actually allowed herself to rest, and let the stimpacks take their effect, little things like breathing wouldn't be so painful anymore.

"Good," Said Jude, hopping down. "because I already made a fire pit and I don't want to have to make another."

The area was small and sheltered by an enormous cement pillar on one side, and a wall of collapsed cars another, creating a neat little L shape in the middle of which Jude had dug a small hole and ringed it with stones.

"I'll go find some wood." He said, dropping his pack inside the wall of cars. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," said Posey with a slight frown, leaning back against a rusted out car but waited to lower herself to the ground, she was sure once she was down, she wasn't going to be getting up for a while. "do you need any help?"

"No, I'll be fine."

Posey made a mental note to keep track of how many times Jude said 'fine' that evening.

He turned to leave but Posey called, "Wait."

He paused, looking over his shoulder as she pushed off the cars with a wince before walking over to him and asking under her breath,

"Jude, are you alright? I mean, really, alright?"

He didn't meet her eyes, instead he eyed her neck, his eyes sweeping over the many contusions and scratches marring the pale flesh there.

"I'm fine." He said, his voice low and almost gravely.

"Are you lying? Because you don't look fine."

"Then stop looking." He challenged, finally dragging his gaze to meet hers and Posey blinked and swallowed hard. He most definitely did not look _fine_. "I'll be back, okay?" He said, turning and hauling his shotgun more securely up in his arms.

"It's getting dark." She protested, but Jude kept going.

"I'll be fine."

As he walked away, James looked over at her with a wary eye.

"How do you feel, Posey?" He asked, taking her spot in leaning against the centuries old vehicles.

"I'm-"

_fine_

That word had been said so many times recently it didn't even sound like a word anymore.

"I'm fine."

"How do your ribs feel? Any pulling at your stitches?"

"My ribs, well they hurt but they'll be fine. My stitches are fine too."

"Glad to hear it. You should sit down, rest for a while."

Posey didn't respond, she just kept looking out the way Jude had gone with a slight frown. He was an enigma that man, every time she thought they might be growing closer, he'd jump back to being surly and unresponsive again. She'd called him her friend, back in Vault 112. Was that what he was? Her friend?

"Posey, Mr. Hiller is quite capable of handling himself out there." Said James a little impatiently. "Please, sit down."

"Dad, can I ask you one more question?" She said softly, turning to look at him while ignoring his plea. He raised his eyebrows, waiting. She took a moment to look at him first, really look at him, since the first time she'd found him down in Vault 112. She knew her father was getting on in years, his neat hair, salt and peppered with age, and the wrinkles round his eyes and mouth. But she'd never really thought of him as old. He always had a spring in his step, and his blue eyes always danced with mirth and his wrinkles, she'd always assumed they were laughter lines, but now... "It's about mom." She hedged, watching him carefully for a reaction, watching the way the his face went sort of rigid, the blatant pain that flashed across his features, as quick as a flash of lighting before fading away to a gentle smile.

"Of course, sweetie. What do you want to know?"

"Why," Posey felt herself blushing but cleared her throat and pressed forward, "why did you love her? I mean, what about her made you love her?"

Her father's face fell into a thoughtful frown and he slowly lowered himself down so he his back was to the cars behind him, and he was staring out over at the sinking sun. Posey joined him, her movements cautious and teeth clenched.

"That's a very good question," Said James softly, "you know, some people say you don't really choose who you love, but I never really held with that. What was the point if you didn't choose? What made love special if it wasn't a conscious and thoughtful act, if it was just some predetermined thing, then what was the point?"

"So, I'm guessing you don't believe in Soul Mates." Asked Posey with a slight smile.

"Poppycock." Said her father at once, and Posey laughed, which of course sent a stab of pain through her ribs which quickly put an end to her mirth.

"How did you and Mom meet?" She asked, grimacing slightly.

"We met in what is now Rivet City." He said, eyeing her carefully before settling back against the cars. "Only then it was more like Bucket of Bolts. It was in its early stages, very different from how it is now. I was twenty-one, fresh from the Wastes. I came seeking knowledge, as there was a very promising scientific community growing there. My father, your grandfather, was a doctor in our little community in the Wastes, and he taught me all he knew but I wanted more. I wanted to know what the world was like, I-"

He paused, noticing Posey's half raised eyebrows and smirk.

"Well," He said ruefully, "I guess this does sound a little familiar, doesn't it?"

"A little." Said Posey, smiling slightly.

"Anyway," Continued James, "I walked into that rusty hunk of junk, and saw a little huddle of terrified people. Refugees, from a town victim of a super mutant raid. They became some of the first residents of Rivet City, and among them, right in the middle of the group, was your mother."

His eyes took on a faraway look, and although they were fixed on Posey, he didn't seem to be seeing at her at all.

"I'd seen a lot of people out in the Wastes." He said quietly, "It takes a part of you, living out there. It chips away at who you are, and people always looked so worn down. But...Not her. She was still so much herself, she was whole, she was still so  _alive_. She'd lost everything. Her parents, her siblings, her home yet when she looked up at me, despite the obvious grief, I knew she wasn't going to let anything, not loss, not the Wasteland, make her any less of herself. It wasn't going to have her, and she was like that right until the day she died." His voice cracked and he let his head hang forward, drawing a hand down it and taking a shuddering breath. "I didn't think anything could ever take your mother." He said, and his voice was surprisingly steady. "Nothing ever slowed her down. Even when she was nine months pregnant she was working, though I begged her to rest. That's why it was such a shock to me, when...when she..."

Posey placed a comforting hand on his arm, and that deep sort of ache that had taken up residence in her heart suddenly increased.

"That's a pretty good reason to love someone, she sounds amazing." She said quietly, "I wish I could have known her."

"Oh Posey," He said, smiling wanly and smoothing back her frazzled hair. "she would have loved you. She was so excited to meet you. She held you, for a moment, before the end. She thought you were the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen."

"You know, I never really missed her until now. I didn't know her, so it was hard to, and sometimes I missed the opportunity of having a mother, but I never felt cheated. Never felt like I was really missing out on anything, because you never let me feel like that."

Her father looked away and Posey rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're a great dad, Dad."

"Even if I lied to you for most of your life?"

"Well that was less great, but I understand. You're still the best dad I've ever had."

"Oh, well that's a relief."

Posey smiled and even though every breath hurt, and her feet ached, Posey couldn't for the life of her, think of anywhere else she'd rather be.

* * *

Jude

The sun was sinking fast, but Jude didn't turn around. He'd passed at least four burned out husks of trees, with plenty of dry branches scattered around the base, but he hadn't stopped. He couldn't stop. If he let himself stop, he'd see it all over again. Even with his rapid footfalls and his heart pounding in his chest, they were still slipping through the careful wall he'd spent years building. Cracks in the foundation, letting in the ghosts that had been relentlessly nipping at his heels.

_A line of rusty tin cans, perched on a rock_

All he could hear was his heavy breathing and the pounding of his boots into the wasteland dust. But it wasn't enough to drown out his tumultuous thoughts.

_POP! POP! POP! Missed everyone. Must've been the BB gun's fault. Not his._

It was dark now. The sun was gone and dusk was fading, the night slowly falling around him.

_The odd, blurry shape out on the horizon._

His heart thudded in his ears and he shook his head, desperately trying to clear it. He'd done so well for so long! They couldn't sneak up on him now!

_An earsplitting roar._

Jude reached under his armor, feeling the ridges on the skin of his shoulder.

_"Jude! Jude, run!"_

His hands on his shotgun were shaking, his knuckles white against the barrel. And Jude swore, he swore he could hear it:

A high, anguished scream, ending in a animalistic yowl and that  _snap_.

Jude felt his knees buckle and his stomach churn and he fell forward, gasping for air and fighting back waves of nausea. He dropped his gun and twisted his fingers in his hair, right at the roots, feeling the pull and he could feel  _everything_ , the leather of his armor against his skin and the dirt under his fingers as he leaned forward, clenching his fists. The hatred and rage, coming to a dizzying peak between his ears. He bowed his head, feeling all the muscles bunch and tense under his skin and he was shaking. He threw his head back and let out a strangled yell.

It tore out of him, angry and barbaric, leaving his throat raw. It was answered by a howl, and Jude whirled around to the sound, snatching up his gun. A pack of wild dogs? He hoped so. And their raider masters. Maybe a super mutant and a centaur. Anything. Let it be  _anything_.

"Come on!" He roared, staggering to his feet, feeling his pulse jump in his neck. "Come on you bastards!"

Nothing answered. Nothing charged out at him in the blackness. There was nothing to shoot at.

"Come on!" He bellowed again, "I can take it! I can take it now, Wasteland! I can take it!"

There wasn't even a flicker of movement.

"You've never held back before!" He yelled out into the dark, his throat sore. "Come on!"

He could feel the chain, so carefully concealed, around his neck, burning into his bare skin and with fumbling fingers he yanked it off, curling his fist around it and the key at the end. It pressed into his palm, the grooves imprinting themselves into the pad of his hand. He wanted to throw it away. He could feel the muscles in his arm trembling. He knew he had a hell of a throw, from countless grenades lobbed at his enemies. Now he felt like someone had thrown one at him, and he had no idea where it had landed.

He could throw it, and odds were he'd never come back to this part of the Wasteland again. He'd never see it again.

Let there be  _something_ , ANYTHING, coming for him. Something real, something he could take a swing at. There had to be some wild thing out there. Something besides himself. Something out there as crazy as he was. The Wasteland was their playground, so where the hell where they?

Jude waited. The moon rose, and the wind whistled. But nothing came.

He hadn't even gathered a twig yet.

Posey was probably in fits, thinking he'd been eaten by a Mutant or something.

With trembling hands, he tucked the chain and the key under his shirt, carefully out of view. He glared out at the dark of the Wasteland, and it stared right back.

Empty.

* * *

"There you are!"

Posey's voice was thick with relief, and her smile was as wide as the moon as he stepped back under the overpass, his arms full of brush and dried branches.

"Why were you gone for so long? Did something happen? Are you alright?"

Jude looked down at her, huddled by her father's side. Her face was still pale, and the vivid red slash down the front of her neck burned into his vision. She was the one who'd been through the mill today, and yet she was asking  _him_  if  _he_  was alright.

"I'm-" He started,

"If you say fine I'm going to hurt you." She said warningly. Jude felt his lips twitch up in a semblance of a smile.

"I'm  _alright_. How's that for you?"

He crouched down and started building up the fire, hoping to combat the chill already hanging in the air. Once a little flame was crackling, he drew back.

"I can take first watch." He said, standing up and moving over to the hood of the car he'd been sitting on when Posey and James had first found the place. "You guys can sleep."

"What about your mines?" Asked Posey.

"The wire got damaged." Lied Jude, "It's not a big deal. I can take watch."

"Okay," Said Posey, her gaze searching. Jude turned and looked out over the barren landscape around them. "Make sure you wake me up when it's my turn." She told him.

"Sure thing, Blondie." He responded, not looking back.

She was asleep in moments, sitting up against the cars, leaning into her dad with her sleeping bag draped over her like a blanket. She must have been waiting for him to get back before she allowed herself to drop off. Hours passed. Jude fed the fire, and patrolled the edge of their site, his mind blissfully and wonderfully blank.

"You need sleep."

Jude turned and saw James, still sitting with his arm around his daughter, but his eyes were sharp and showed no sign of weariness.

"I can take watch." He continued. "You should get some rest."

Jude shook his head. "Trust me Doc," He said, looking back over the Wasteland, "if I go to sleep now it'll just make it worse."

"Make what worse?"

Jude shook his head again. Damn, these Bennett's were a curious bunch.

"I take it this wasn't your first brush with a Deathclaw." Said James quietly. He had a way of speaking that Jude both admired and hated. He never seemed to raise his voice, but you always had to stop and listen anyway.

"No, not my first." Muttered Jude. He didn't want to go into this. He didn't want to test those waters again. Not tonight.

"Where's your family, Mr. Hiller?" Asked James and Jude was thankful that he was to tired to really react.

"Don't have one."

"I see."

_No, you don't._  Thought Jude bitterly.

"I can keep watch." Said Jude mechanically, "I'm not gonna fall asleep."

"I'm sure you won't," James' voice was calm, steady and reassuring. the perfect Doctor voice. "But as a medical man, I insist that you rest."

"I can't."

"You should at least try. You might be surprised."

"No, I  _can't_." Said Jude, and he could once again feel anger percolating under his skin. "If I let myself slow down,"

"They'll catch up to you."

Jude looked up at the older man in shock. He was looking at Jude with a small, impossibly sad smile.

"Trust me," He said quietly, "I know what you mean."

He looked down at Posey, who was tucked into his side, sleeping peacefully. Her hand was fisted in her sleeping bag.

"Get some sleep, Jude." He said, not looking away from his daughter. "I'll keep watch."

Jude, for the first time in a long time, took the word of advice. He shook out his bedroll and laid down, staring up at the overpass above them. He closed his eyes, and let all his muscles slowly relax, let his chest rise and fall, slow and even.

"Sleep well, Mr. Hiller."

And surprisingly, he did.

 


	14. Vienna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slow down you crazy child  
> You're so ambitious for a juvenile  
> But then if you're so smart tell me,  
> Why are you still so afraid? 
> 
> Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?  
> You better cool it off before you burn it out  
> You got so much to do and only  
> So many hours in a day 
> 
> But you know that when the truth is told  
> That you can get what you want  
> Or you can just get old
> 
> You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through (Oooh)  
> When will you realize... Vienna waits for you?

 

* * *

Posey

The Stimpacks, coupled with the hours of rest she received, really did work wonders, and Posey awoke feeling stiff and sore but remarkably well rested, and her breathing came much easier. She sat up, and her father, whom she'd been leaning against gave her a smile.

"Good morning." He said, withdrawing his arm that had been around her shoulders. "How do your ribs feel today?"

"Much better," Said Posey, probing her torso experimentally. "Still tender, but better."

"I'm very glad to hear that. They're still on the mend though, and you should take it easy for the next few weeks, if," He raised his eyebrows, "That is at all possible for you. It will definitely speed up the healing process if you get some actual rest. By the by, how did you sleep?"

"How did  _you_ sleep?" She challenged, "Propped up against a rusty old car, and you!" She turned to chastise Jude, but he was fast asleep, still curled up under his sleeping bag, his pack wadded up under his head.

"Let him rest, Posey." Said James, placing a placating hand on her shoulder. "He had a long night."

"You were supposed to let  _me_ take a watch shift." Muttered Posey, looking up at him reproachfully.

"You needed rest to recover, besides we're nearly there now." Said her father, looking out over the Wasteland, which was slowly growing lighter as the sun's early morning rays gently fell across the derelict surroundings.

Posey grunted, still put out at being babied. "I'm carrying my own bag today." She said, crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest and holding back a wince that the action caused. Her ribs might have been healing miraculously thanks to the Stimpacks, but too much sudden movement still twinged.

"Good," Said James, reaching up and massaging his shoulder. "it was killing my shoulder. What do you have in there? Bricks?"

"Yes, actually I do." Said Posey with a smile, "It's standard Wasteland Wanderer protocol. They're to throw at the Raiders once you run out of ammo."

"Ingenious." Said James, his lips twitching up in a smile. "Really my dear, your intelligence and resourcefulness will never cease to amaze."

Posey watched as her father fiddled with his Pip-Boy, no doubt configuring a course for their journey on his map, finding the quickest way to Rivet City from their current location, no doubt.

"What will you do, once we get to Rivet City?" She asked, running her fingers thoughtfully over the sleeping bag in her lap while she watched him plot their route.

"Well, I'll try and convince Madison to help us with getting Project Purity up and running again." Said James, looking up from his Pip-Boy. "With the evidence I've gathered from Braun, she's sure to be back on board. Then, we'll head to the old lab and salvage what we can from our old work. There's a terminal there, that should have the location of the nearest G.E.C.K. on its hard drive."

"You think the computer will still work?" Asked Posey dubiously.

"I don't know," He murmured, looking back over the Wasteland with a furrowed brow. "The memorial has been empty for so long..."

"Define empty," Said Posey, raising her eyebrows. "It seemed pretty crowded to me when Jude and I went looking for you there. That place was chock full of Super Mutants! How did you even get in there and out again in one piece?"

"Stealth Boys," Said James, "Ingenious little devices. And, I'm not too bad a shot myself. Nothing like your mother though, she was always bragging about how she could out shoot me."

"You talk about her a lot more out here," Said Posey, letting her head fall to one side as she looked at him. "much more than you ever did in the Vault."

James shrugged, "It's easier out here. I don't have to lie." He squinted out over the horizon, "When it comes right down to it, your mother never would have done well in a Vault. Trapped under there with The Overseer the way he was, and unable to see the sky. She would have been very unhappy."

Posey followed his gaze, sweeping her own eyes across the Wasteland around them. True, it was ravaged and hostile and dangerous, but Posey thought she could identify with the mother she'd never met. She preferred it, as arid and deadly as it was, to the cold, unfeeling steel walls of Vault 101. The Wasteland's saving graces far out numbered the amenities her old vault had to offer, at least in her opinion.

"Project Purity," She said slowly, testing the words and the way they felt in her mouth. "It'll work...won't it?" She asked, turning back to her father.

"I believe so." He said, his gaze steady on hers, twin shades of blue that the Wasteland hadn't encountered in years. "Your mother believed it, with every fiber of her being. A project is only as powerful as its participants are dedicated, Posey."

"Can I..." Posey's voice died and she looked down at her hands, now clasped in her lap, feeling a blush creep up on her cheeks. "Can I help? With Project Purity, I mean." She ran her thumb over the crescent shaped scars across her palm. "I want to help." She finished, looking back up at him.

Her father looked at her, and Posey didn't think she'd ever seen him so pleased. His eyes were shining, and the smile on his face wasn't wide, but it warmed her to the core.

"I'd like nothing better than to work on Project Purity, side by side with you." He said warmly. "Of course you can help, sweetheart. I wouldn't be able to do it without you."

Posey blushed again and stammered out, "I mean, I never really realized, or appreciated, I guess, how vital it is. Water, I mean. I always took it for granted." She let her gaze fall on Jude, who was still sleeping, his arm tucked under his head, and his breathing slow and even, his face, peaceful. "Pure water for everyone." She murmured, "It will change the entire course of the Wasteland. It's incredible, revolutionary! It'll help so many people!" She looked back up at her father and found him smiling broadly at her. "Plus," She looked shyly away again, "I think... I think it's what Mom would have wanted."

"I think so too, sweetie." Murmured James, and Posey looked back at Jude, taking a bracing breath and said, brightly:

"We should wake Jude up and get going before it gets too hot."

"I agree." Said James, "I'll pack up, you wake Mr. Hiller and we'll be on our way."

Posey got to her feet, glad that the pain that had plagued her yesterday had faded to a dull ache as she crossed the short distance to where Jude was sleeping and knelt down at his side, while her Father rolled up her sleeping back behind her

"Jude," She said softly, "Hey, Jude." She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Jude wake up."

His eyelids fluttered slightly and he tucked his chin to his chest with a groan, and Posey grinned.

"Come on, sleepy head. Let's get a move on and beat the heat."

"What time is it?" He slurred, hiding his face in the crook of his elbow.

"Time for you to get up. Maybe if you'd woken me up to help you keep watch like I asked,"

"Your Dad kept watch all night." He mumbled, raising his head and blinking up at her, his eyes still thick with sleep. "I was only up until one-ish, then your Dad took over, told me to get some rest. He never woke me up after that."

Posey glanced over her shoulder at her father, who already had his and Posey's things gathered together. He didn't look tired at all.

"Have you ever looked into the possibility of your dad being a robot?" Asked Jude, still struggling to wake up. "Because I'm thinking that might be something to bring up later."

"It's like you said," She turned back to him, hands resting on her knees, "he's pretty spry. Now come on, let's go. Rivet City and decent showers await."

"Are you always this chipper?" Demanded Jude, squinting up at her and Posey smiled.

"Only on days that end in Y. Now come on."

* * *

Their journey to Rivet City was surprisingly short, and with only one real scuffle along the way. (Posey discovered that her hatred of bugs did, in fact, extend to the arachnid family, and did not end with scorpions. Especially large, irradiated ones) She and Jude hung back as Jude turned to them, smiling widely, "This'll only be a moment." He said, placing a hand on Posey's shoulder. "I'm just going to speak to Madison and we'll be on our way before you know it."

"Sure thing, Dad." Said Posey, forcing out a smile as she watched James push open the door to the Science Lab walk briskly down the stairs and approach Madison Li with complete confidence. Privately, Posey thought he was about to get an earful, but she kept that opinion to herself.

"Well," She said, leaning against the railing along the upper deck and looking down at her father. Now that they were back to 'civilization' she felt her high at having found her father fade slightly. "we found him." She said, looking back at Jude who had his arms folded and was looking down at the gathered scientists with a scowl.

"We did." He agreed, joining her on the railing. "I can't believe it, but we did."

"I guess this means," Posey's voice caught in her throat. With all the excitement of actually finding her Dad, Posey had forgotten her and Jude's original deal. "You can leave now. Partners, until I found my dad. Wasn't that," She cleared her throat, "wasn't that the deal?"

"That was the deal." He affirmed, keeping his eyes trained on the level below them and Posey felt her heart sink. 

"So," She looked up at him, feeling the anticipation build in her stomach. "Are you going to?"

"Am I going to what?"

"Leave?"

Jude ran a hand through his hair, trailing it down to his neck, slowly drawing his palm across the skin that Posey had counted the freckles on, just a few days ago.

"No." He said at last, and Posey started, looking up at him and fighting the smile that immediately rose to her face. She lost that fight.  "These Eggheads think they're gonna start up some fancy project, that close to the D.C. ruins?" he continued, gesturing down at the gathered scientists in disbelief. "Greenies will come swarming. Nah, I think they're gonna need a decent Merc, keep an eye on things. Unless," He looked down at her, and Posey was amazed to see something like nervousness cross his features. "unless you want me to."

"Only if you do." Said Posey hurriedly. "I wouldn't want to force you to stay, or anything. I mean, if you want to leave-"

"I don't." He said firmly, and Posey felt a slow smile unfurl across her lips.

"Good." She said.

Jude glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and smiled, more smirked, really.

"Well," He said, propping his shotgun on his shoulder. "Let's go see what those Eggheads are up to now, shall we?"

And no matter how hard she tried, Posey couldn't keep the enormous grin from spreading across her face.

* * *

"So, what's up next?" Asked Posey brightly as her father joined her and Jude on the upper level.

"Madison has agreed to join Project Purity," Said her father with a smile and Posey beamed. "she's gathering a team together as we speak, and we're heading to the memorial as soon as she's done so."

"That's great!" Enthused Posey, but Jude interrupted, still scowling:

"Doctor Li is on the Rivet City Council, and she and her team are one of the Wastelands top agricultural producers with those fresh produce they've been supplying. How do her fellow council members feel about her taking off?"

"I don't know." Said James, "I hadn't thought of that. Madison didn't mention that as being a problem."

"I have a feeling the other council members are gonna see it as a problem." Said Jude, looking down at Doctor Li, who was flitting about the Lab, gathering supplies and data.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Said Posey, looking from Jude to her father, who was now looking troubled. "If Doctor Li didn't mention it, maybe it  _won't_ be an issue. And if it is, there's nothing we can do about it now."

"Right you are, Posey." Said James with a smile. "I assume, you're still on board with Project Purity?"

"Of course." Said Posey with a smile.

"And you, Mr. Hiller?" He asked, turning to Jude. Jude was frowning down at the group of scientists and engineers coming up the stairs, and Posey had to elbow him to draw him out of his reverie.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm on board. If you guys have need for a Merc, anyway. I can't do much in the terms of Egghead calculations and such."

"We'll be very glad to have you, Mr. Hiller." Said James with a smile. "And you'll receive due compensation for your work."

Doctor Li approached the group, and said in a brisk, business like tone: "Ready, James?"

"After you, Madison." Said James politely. "Your team is ready, I presume?"

"As they'll ever be." Responded Li with a small smile. "Will your daughter and her... _friend_ ,"

Posey could practically  _feel_  Jude's scowl,

"Be accompanying us?" Finished Li, turning towards James.

"Yes." Said James lightly, "Mr. Hiller has kindly offered his services as a guard to Project Purity."

"And I'm happy to help any way I can." Said Posey, smiling politely. Doctor Li looked skeptically from Jude to Posey and back again before saying,

"Well, we're glad to have you. This Project is going to need all the help it can get to get off the ground after being abandoned for nearly twenty years. We'd best get a move on."

"I agree." Said James, "Project Purity has waited long enough. Away we go."

"Just a sec, Dad." Said Posey, "Jude and I will catch up, I've got to take care of something first."

James looked surprised, but nodded and said, "Alright. We'll be waiting at the memorial for you."

"We won't be long." Reassured Posey, giving him a smile as James and Doctor Li, trailed by the rest of her group, exited the Lab.

"What do we have to take care of?" Asked Jude with raised eyebrows as Posey turned and headed down towards the lab, scouring the abandoned tables.

"I've got to send a note." Said Posey, grinning triumphantly as she found a blank sheet of crumpled paper and a pencil, left behind in the hurry to get to the memorial.

"Who to?" Asked Jude, joining her at the table while Posey leaned over it, hurriedly scrawling across the paper.

"Gob." Said Posey, not looking up from her task. "I'm just telling him that we found my dad, and we're going to be in Rivet City for the time being, and he's still welcome to stay at my place." She looked up from her letter, folding it into thirds and asked, "Do you know anyone who can deliver it?"

"We can see if Crow is around." Said Jude, "Or honestly, give just about anyone enough caps they'll run it over to Megaton for you."

"How much is enough?" Said Posey, reaching into the pouch on her belt where she kept her meager supply of caps.

"More than you've got." Said Jude, taking the note from her hand. "But we'll see if we can't find Crow, his caravan runs out to Megaton fairly often. I'll go check the Galley, you go run out and see if there's a caravan out front. If there is, come find me."

"Okay, thanks Jude."

"Hustle," Said Jude, nudging her up the stairs. "Can't keep your dad and those Eggheads waiting."

Posey stepped out onto the bridge extending out of Rivet City, and after giving Harkness a polite smile and nod asked:

"Good afternoon. I was wondering, do you know if Crow and his caravan are around here somewhere?"

"Crow arrived last night," Said Harkness, looking out over the Wasteland instead of at Posey, keeping his finger always on the trigger of his odd looking rifle. "Should be in there somewhere. I can't keep tabs on all the people whereabouts in that heap."

"Fair enough, thank you."

Posey turned to go when Harkness called out, "Where was Doctor Li and her team headed to?"

"The Jefferson Memorial." Replied Posey, pausing with her hand still on the handle of the ship's deck door.

"Why?" asked Harkness suspiciously,

"They're restarting an old project," She said, "that's where their old lab is set up."

"Doctor Li didn't clear it with the rest of the Council."

"Does Doctor Li have to clear all her private affairs with the Council?" Asked Posey, raising her eyebrows.

"If it involves her leaving the city it does." Said Harkness with a scowl. "She's a member of the Council, and the Council-"

The handle under Posey's fingers began to turn and Posey stepped back as the door swung open and Jude appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, there you are, Blondie." He said, "Found Crow, he'll deliver your note to Gob, he's actually heading to Megaton right now, said he can get it to Gob before the day's out." Jude looked up at Harkness who was still scowling. "You're looking as friendly as ever, Harkness."

"Don't tell me  _you're_ tangled up in whatever this girl's got going on with Doctor Li and the rest of those scientists, Colorado." Said Harkness in disbelief.

"If that's want to call it." Said Jude with a shrug. "Come on, Blondie."

Leaving a disgruntled Harkness behind, Posey and Jude set out across the bridge, and down the twisting walkways before finally reaching the ground and setting off for the memorial.

"Do you really think Doctor Li being on the council is going to interfere with her work on Project Purity?" Asked Posey, looking back at Rivet City with a slight frown.

"Who knows." Said Jude, "If it does, Harkness isn't going to be the one to worry about, the one who will kick up the most fuss is Bannon."

"Who?"

"Bannon, he's the civilian representative on the Rivet City Council and he's got enough ego for all three members and then some. I don't know much about it, but he owns the only clothing store in the city. Potomac Attire. He's a busy body, and the worse kind too."

"What's the worse kind of busy body?" Asked Posey as the Memorial and the group of scientists came into view.

"The kind who wears khakis." Said Jude grimly and Posey laughed as they drew even with the group waiting outside the building.

"How come you're all waiting out here?" Asked Posey, and her father, who gave her a smile by way of greeting.

"Well," Said James, looking towards the gift shop door. "I'm afraid there is still a bit of a Mutant problem in there, and we're not exactly equipped to handle it. I hate to ask it, but Mr. Hiller, would you-"

"On it, Doc." Said Jude, dropping his pack and slinging his shotgun off his shoulder. "Blondie, loan me your assault for a bit."

"What?" Said Posey, holding the gun a little closer, "No, I'm going with you!"

Jude raised an eyebrow and James said sternly,

"You most certainly are not! Posey, you're still healing!"

"Jude and I are partners." Insisted Posey, still keeping a firm grip on her assault rifle. "He needs my help."

"Blondie, I've been shootin' Mutants long before I met you. I can handle a few more on my own." He said flatly, holding out his hand. "Give me your rifle."

"But-"

"Posey you are  _not_ going in there." Said James,

"Yeah, besides  _I'm_ the Merc." Added Jude, "I don't wanna have to split my commision with you. Hand it over."

Reluctantly, Posey slid the strap of her rifle off her shoulder and handed it over to him, along with a several cartridges of ammo.

"I'll be back in a jiff." He said, sliding the strap over his shoulder so it rested against his back. "Keep your hunting one out, you never know what'll come moseying along this close to the ruins."

"Okay," Said Posey, watching anxiously as he strode forward, throwing the door open to the Gift Shop and stepping inside. He shot Posey a smirk over his shoulder and said,

"Back in a flash." And closed the door behind him.

 

Posey looked around at the gathered scientists and her Father nervously, before taking her hunting rifle from its place, slung across her back, and holding it tightly in her hands.

"Posey, he'll be fine." Said James reassuringly, patting her shoulder. "He's a very capable young man."

Posey looked back and gave her father a weak smile. "Yeah, I know."

"James," Interrupted Doctor Li, stepping forward from her little group, "we'll have to address the real possibility that the facility is no longer functional. It's been abandoned for twenty years, and in our absence filled with Super Mutants? It's going to take time to get things operational again."

"I'm afraid you're probably right." Said James, looking towards the building with a furrowed brow. "We'll just have to wait and asses the damage. I was so focused before on Braun that I didn't take any time to really look over the place."

Posey tuned out their chatter, staring at the closed Gift Shop door with her knuckles tight on her rifle, feeling her stomach churn with anxiety. Jude could handle himself, she knew that, but what if he couldn't? What if there was an accident, or there were too many? What if-

"Posey?"

She finally jerked her gaze away from the door and looked up at her father who was looking down at her with raised eyebrows. "Posey would you like to meet Doctor Li's team? They will be working with us on Project Purity,"

"Sure." She said, giving the door one last agonizing glance before following her father over to where Doctor Li stood with her huddled group of scientists.

"You've already met Doctor Li," Said James, gesturing to the woman.

"Yes," Said Posey, smiling politely, and Doctor Li nodded back.

"She's been with Project Purity from the beginning." Continued James. "Truly, an outstanding scientist."

"Well, you're certainly no slouch yourself, James." Said Li, looking a little embarrassed, but definitely pleased.

Her father only smiled. "Madison, would you care to introduce us to the rest of your team?"

"Certainly," Said Madison, "This is Janice Kaplinski and Anna Holt, botanists who worked along side me in Rivet City." Janice gave a polite smile and a little wave, which Posey returned, but Anna made move of recognition. "And Daniel Agincourt, Alex Dargon and Garza are all engineers. Daniel actually worked with Project Purity the first time it was attempted. He was a very young intern then."

"Oh," Said James, turning to Daniel with a friendly smile, "well it will be a pleasure to work with you again."

Daniel didn't respond, and fairly glared at both James and Posey, who glowered right back, narrowing her eyes.

"So," Said James, unperturbed by Daniel's frosty expression. "Madison, about the terminal,"

Posey allowed herself to drift away again, after giving the scientists a polite smile and a wave (Except for that Daniel character) and settled down on a rock with a decent view of the door to the museum and waited, resting her chin in her hands as the others murmured and milled about, wilting slightly under the warmth of the Wasteland sun.

An hour passed, and Posey clenched and unclenched her fists, bouncing her knee nervously up and down, her stomach tied in knots.

"It's been too long." She announced, getting to her feet, "He should have been back by now,"

"Posey," Began her father, "honey I understand that you're nervous, but-"

The door banged open and Jude stepped out of the memorial building, dirt and grime streaking his face,

"Well," Said Jude wearily, "the place is clear for you Eggheads."

He then promptly collapsed, and Posey, despite the flash of pain in her chest, leapt forward, her heart in her throat. She just managed to catch him before his head hit the ground, her hands bracing his torso as he slumped forward.

"Jude!" She cried, but he made response and Posey felt panic building behind her eyes like static on a screen as his head drooped forward. "Jude!"

Her father was at her side in an instant, feeling for his pulse and Posey felt hot, slick blood under her hands, pressed against his chest and abdomen as she struggled to lower him to the ground.

"Let's get him inside." Said James quickly, and Garza stepped forward, helping Posey drape one of each of Jude's arms around their necks and dragging him inside the memorial.

"Who's this?" came Jude's slurred voice and Posey, struggling under Jude's weight, looked up to see Jude staring in confusion at Garza. His eyes were unfocused but Posey was delighted to see that he was awake.

"This is Garza, he works with Doctor Li." Panted Posey, as they walked down the dank hallway, veering left and dragging him into the gift shop area with the sandbag barrier. "What happened?"

"Got shot." Said Jude, sounding indignant. "Really shot. First time that's happened to me in years."

"Where did you get shot?" Asked James, taking Posey's place once he and Doctor Li cleared off a table of abandoned beakers and other lab work in the room with the broken pillars, where Posey had been attacked by the Centaur. They helped Jude up onto the table, and he laid back against it with a groan.

"Somewhere in your old lab, where do you think?" garbled Jude, "Hey, Blondie, I dropped your gun. Sorry about that."

"No, where did the bullet hit you?" Asked Posey frantically.

"Oh right," He looked down at his torso and pointed towards his abdomen, off to the left. "Somewhere down there. Hurts like hell, but that means I'm alive, right Blondie?"

"Yeah, yeah it means you're alive." Said Posey, speaking with difficulty around the lump in her throat.

James was busy flitting around the room, gathering equipment from his bag and he said to Posey, his voice assuming a brisk business like tone,

"Posey, get that armor off him we need to see if the bullet passed clean through or if it's still in there."

"Right," Said Posey, and she stepped forward and began to work at his armor with shaking hands.

"Madison, do you have any Med-X? If we have to operate, go after the bullet..."

Posey finally managed to undo the various buckles and bracers and Jude groaned as he threw the armor aside. His white tee shirt was soaked with blood, and Posey felt the room spin. Blood had never phased her before. She'd helped her dad with numerous procedures, and even when she'd been attacked by the Deathclaw, she'd looked down at her gaping wounds with a sort of morbid curiosity, but this, this was different.

"I'm the one who got shot, aren't I supposed to be the pale one?" Asked Jude, and his eyes were finally sharpening as he looked at her. She met his gaze and she could feel herself trembling.

"You're gonna be alright." She said, though her voice shook. "Me and my dad are gonna take care of you."

"I know that, Blondie." He said, gritting his teeth and pressing his head back against the table. "I'm in the best hands in the Wasteland." He tried to smile but it morphed into a grimace.

"I don't see an exit wound." Said Posey feverishly. "Dad, it's still in there!" The room was definitely starting to spin now and she looked down at her hands, stained scarlet and shaking.

"Posey," Said James, stepping forward and injecting a syringe full of Med-X into Jude's arm. "I need you to leave."

"But-"

She looked past her father to Jude, who was clenching his jaw and staring up at the ceiling while Doctor Li staunch the bleeding, the square of gauze quickly soaking through.

"Posey, listen to me." Said James, turning to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, Posey, look here."

She wrenched her gaze away from Jude's bleeding side and met her father's eyes. They were the same steady, unwavering blue that had soothed a thousand worries as a child yet Posey couldn't get her beating heart to slow.

"I'm going to do everything I can." He said firmly, "But I can't do that if I'm worrying about you, alright?"

"Go with Garza, and wait outside." Said Doctor Li in a surprisingly gentle voice. "We'll come fetch you when we're done."

"Dad-" She said and James pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, before turning around and rushing over to the impromptu operating table.

She could feel Garza's steadying hand on her elbow as he gently guided her out of the room, and the doors swung shut behind them.

They were standing now in the dim room that was joined with the centuries old Gift Shop, and the sandbag barrier. There was a pervasive stench of rot in the air and Posey gagged, noticing the Super Mutants that she and Jude had dispatched still lay scattered about the place.

"W-w-we should haul those out." Said Posey, motioning to the fallen Mutants with a shaky hand. "We can't work with them in here."

"You should rest a moment." Said Garza kindly, and Posey gave him a shaky smile. She decided then, that she liked him the best of all Doctor Li's scientists.

"I don't think I should. I can't just sit and think. I'll go crazy."

Behind them, Jude started yelling, his voice wracked with pain and Posey bit back a sob, clapping her hands over her ears. Garza quickly steered her back out of that room and lead her out instead to the hall.

"We'll start work on hauling those Mutant corpses outside." He said, "I'll gather the others and they can help as well."

Soon Posey, Garaza and the other two engineers, Daniel and Alex, were hauling the two Mutant corpses out of the building, leaving them in a pile about three hundred yards from the memorial, where Garza said the best thing to do would be to torch the remains, once they'd gathered the rest of the bodies. It was disgusting work, and Posey had to fight back the urge to vomit multiple times, but thankfully, it had kept her mind off the surgery happening a few rooms over. She had just began picking up other trash and detritus left in the memorial building from who knows when, when she heard the doors to the pillared room open. Dropping the armful of junk immediately, Posey flew into the room and saw her father, wiping his hands on a bloodied rag and looking exhausted.

Posey didn't dare ask, her heart was beating so hard in her chest she didn't think she could speak, but her father gave her a weary smile and Posey felt her knees go weak with relief, and her father stepped forward and gathered into his arms, holding her tight.

"He'll be fine," He said into her hair. "we got the bullet and stopped the bleeding. He's going to be alright, he's resting now."

"Thank you." She mumbled hiding her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry, that I was so worthless in there."

"That's alright, sweetheart. It's difficult when someone you care about requires your medical attention. Believe me, I have plenty of experience." his voice grew sad and Posey drew back, looking up at him and biting her lip.

"You did really good though," She said, smiling bracingly up at him. "my ribs don't even hurt anymore, really. And my stitches are superb. You're a great doctor, Dad."

"Thank you, Posey." He said sincerely, giving her the same warm smile she'd known her whole life. "But you need to take it easy. I don't want you fracturing your ribs again."

"But I've got to help get this place ready for you and all the other scientists." Protested Posey, "You can't work with all of these Super Mutant corpses everywhere."

"We can take care of that. You stay here, and rest and keep an eye on Jude. He should be fine, but keep a track of his breathing and check his pulse every so often. And come and find me as quick as you can if he starts bleeding again."

Posey nodded and her father drew back, smoothing back her tangled hair before turning to delve deeper into the memorial building.

"Hey, Dad?" Called Posey, clearing her throat. James paused, turning back to her with his arms clasped behind his back.

"Yes, dear?"

"I love you."

James' eyes softened and he said quietly, "I love you too, Posey. I'll be right back."

Posey watched him go for a moment before stepping carefully over to the table where Jude still lay, his jaw slack and eyes closed. His torso was bare but his midsection was heavily wrapped in bandages, and Posey could still see the round, red stain of where his bullet had been. She pulled up a rickety chair beside the table and sat heavily upon it, hiding her face in her still blood stained hands. She  _really_  needed a shower now. She shivered in the cool damp air of the building, and got to her feet, crossing to where she'd abandoned her duffel bag and pulled out a few of her spare Vault suits as well as her Tunnel Snakes jacket before going back and easing her wadded up suits under Jude's head, and tucking her jacket around him to stave off the chill. She couldn't help but notice the dozens of freckles that dotted across Jude's pale shoulders and she smiled to herself, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Garza and Daniel slowly edged into view, dragging a headless Super Mutant corpse on a tarp out of one of the lower levels. Daniel glowered as they passed and Posey barely resisted the urge to stick out her tongue.

"What's that guy's problem?" Grumbled Posey.

"He's too smart to be doing manual labor, it's grunts like me that should be doing that kind of work."

Posey whipped around to see Jude, looking pale and wan, but he still managed a weak smirk as Posey grinned at him.

"You're awake!" She cried in a hushed voice, scooting her chair closer. "How do you feel?"

"Pretty shitty," Said Jude, still lying supine on the table. "but I'll live."

"I'm so sorry, Jude." She said, placing her folded arms on the edge of the table and looking at him, biting her lip.

"Why?" He demanded, raising his eyebrows. "Did you shoot me?"

"No," Muttered Posey, dropping her gaze, "but I should have helped you."

"And gotten your ribs busted up again?" He asked flatly, "Come on, Blondie. This ain't your fault."

"Feels like it." she said, looking back at him from under her lashes. "I've done nothing but mess up ever since we left this place, looking for my dad. I didn't shoot that raider, I was an idiot and got attacked by that Deathclaw, which meant you had to come in here alone and now look at you."

"Hard to do in my current condition," He said, lifting his head slightly and looking down at his chest. "I'm still better looking than Butch though, right?"

"You know," Said Posey, cocking her head to the right and looking down at Jude with raised eyebrows, "one of the reasons Butch was so unattractive to me was how vain he was. You're starting to get a pretty big head, Colorado."

"I just got shot," He said indignantly, "I'm allowed to have a moment of pride to make up for my aging reflexes."

"Jude, you're not even twenty five yet."

"And I've already got one foot in the grave." He said with a sigh, "Better take a good look while I've still got it, Blondie. Looks don't last forever."

Posey rolled her eyes and pushed back off the table, "I'm gonna go find my dad," She said, smirking down at him. "tell him you're awake and see what else he needs."

"Alright," Said Jude, laying his head back down on her wadded up suits. "you know where to find me."

"I'll be right back." She said with a smile. "Try not to break anything while I'm gone."

"No promises." He called while she walked away, and Posey rolled her eyes again, but couldn't help the smile tugging on her lips.

She found her father in the rotunda with Doctor Li and Janice, all three of them looking discouraged and tired.

"Everything okay?" She asked, approaching them cautiously.

"Things are worse than we thought," Said her father, running an anxious hand through his hair. "this place has been abandoned since you were born and things have deteriorated more than we'd planned for. There's been some serious flooding, and the fuses we have to replace the ones damaged by the flood are the wrong size. I don't know where to get replacements."

He looked even more agitated than before, and Posey said softly,

"Sorry, Dad."

James gave her a weary smile.

"It's alright sweetie. Madison has got people working on finding new fuses and we're going to try and fix up the other things the best that we can in the meantime. This wasn't an unexpected outcome, it just delays us a bit in finding a G.E.C.K.."

"What can I do right now?"

"Well, while the main power line is still powering up, you could go turn on the flood control pumps. Once the main power line is back on, that should drain the water so we can reach the mainframe. The automatic doors sealed when the flooding occurred, so you'll have to use the access tunnels to get to the pumps."

"Okay, I can do that." Said Posey, nodding, although she had no idea where the 'access tunnels' were, or what the flood control pumps even looked like.

"There are intercoms around, and if you get lost, just give me a call on one of them." He said, "How is Mr. Hiller?"

"He was awake when I left," Said Posey, "he says he feels, and I quote, 'shitty, but I'll live'."

James chuckled, "Well I'm glad to hear he's alright. Drop by and check on him one more time before you head down to the flood control pumps."

"Will do." Said Posey with a nod, and she clattered back down the metal stairs.

"How's it going?" Asked Jude as she approached. He'd managed to get himself upright in a sitting position, and Posey noticed with a smile, her Tunnel Snakes jacket was still draped around his shoulders, though his arms weren't through the sleeves.

"Slow," answered Posey, looking at him with narrowed eyes, "and I don't think you should be trying to sit up yet."

"Well this table isn't exactly comfortable." He said gruffly, while she hopped up to sit by him. "What's up? Why's it slow going?"

"They're missing some fuses, or the fuses they have don't fit or something." Said Posey with a sigh, "And there's been some flooding over the years. The power isn't fully back on yet, but I'm on my way to turn on the flood control pumps down in the subbasement."

"Well I just saw that grouchy guy and Garaza haul out the last of the Super Mutant corpses," Said Jude, nodding towards the door, "So that's a plus."

"Yeah, that's definitely an improvement." Said Posey with a smile. "What about you? You feeling any better? Do you need any painkillers or anything?"

"No," Said Jude shaking his head, "but, I found something for you, while I was down getting shot at in the basement."

He reached over and picked up a stack of holotapes resting near his combat shotgun, wincing as he drew back.

"I found them done in a bedroom down there." He said, handing them over to her. "Figured you'd want to listen to them."

She looked down at the holotapes in her hands with a smile, running her thumb over the grubby label that read in her father's familiar neat print.

_Project Purity Personal Journal #1 J.B._

"There's one that doesn't have number, and one labeled Better Days." Said Jude, "I don't know what's on them or anything, but I thought..." He shrugged. "thought you'd want them."

"Thank you." Said Posey quietly, looking up at him with shining eyes. "Really, thank you so much."

Jude shrugged again, looking away and mumbling,

"It's not a big deal, Blondie. I just found them."

"Still," She slide the stack of tapes into her pocket. "thank you."

"You're welcome."

She looked over at Jude, who was staring right back at her and felt a new kind of anxiousness flutter through her as she realized just how green Jude's eyes really were, and how they crinkled at the corners as his lips slowly twitched into a smile and how she could feel the heat radiating off his skin even from where she sat, their arms inches apart. She swept her gaze of the shadow his eyelashes cast on his cheekbone and wanted to count the dusting of freckles across his nose. There had to be dozens. Was he leaning forward? Or was that just wishful thinking?

There was a buzz of static from an intercom and Posey jumped so violently she slid off the table and barely managed to catch herself on the rickety chair she herself had placed there as she heard her father's voice calling,

"Posey? Have you got down to the flood control pumps yet?"

"I'm heading there right now." Stammered Posey, blushing  _brilliantly_  while Jude sat back against the table, looking rather like a man who had crashed headlong into a brick wall. "I'll be right there."

Posey let go of the button on the intercom go, and the static instantly ceased. She turned back to Jude, feeling her cheeks burn and she was sure she was positively glowing pink.

"I-I-I'd better get going." She said, stepping back and pressing her back against the door. "If you need anything, I um... I'll be back. I...Um...Bye!"

She turned and practically fled through the door and down the steps into the dank air of the basement. Although she did manage to catch Jude's murmured,

"See ya, Blondie."

And even though her back was turned, she could hear the slow grin in his voice.

* * *

Gob

"Hey, Gob. I got a note for you."

Gob looked up from the glasses he was washing to see Nova leaning against the door jam, a piece of grubby paper held aloft in her nicotine stained fingers.

"A note?" He asked, drying his hands on a ratty towel. "Who from?"

"Crow, that caravan dealer, delivered it." Said Nova, her voice lazy and vowels dragging. Gob wished she wouldn't keep up the whole seductive act when it was just the two of them. But then again, maybe she didn't know how to turn it off anymore. "Said it came from Rivet City."

Gob accepted the crumpled piece of paper and Nova drifted back out to the bar, hips swaying and dyed red hair looking almost natural in the dim lighting.

He smiled slightly as he read on the outside of the note: " _To: Gob, From: Posey Bennett"_

"Well she's still alive and kicking at least," He said, unfolding the note and scanning it quickly, holding the paper close to his milky eyes so he could see clearly:

" _Dear Gob,_

_You'll never believe it, but Colorado and I actually found my Dad! He was in a Vault out in the middle of nowhere but we found him, and we're all okay. I'm back in Rivet City now, and I'll be staying here for a while, working with my dad here. I don't really know how to explain what he's trying to do, but it's pretty amazing. I don't know when I'll make it back to Megaton, but when I do, I'll tell you all about it. I hope you like the house, and that Moriarty is treating you alright. Stay as long as you like._

_I just wanted to let you know what was going on, hopefully I'll be able to see you soon._

_Say hi to Wadsworth for me._

_Love,_

_Posey."_

Gob chuckled to himself and tucked the note in his shirt pocket, and went back to washing the dishes. That little Vaultie really was somethin'.

 

It was odd, tasks he use to hate, like washing the dishes, didn't seem so bad now. Because washing the dishes meant it was almost time to close up, something he actually looked forward to now that he could leave the place for the night, if only for a couple of hours.

The night air was cool against his dry, ragged skin but Gob didn't mind, as he locked the door to the saloon behind him. It was nice just to feel fresh air, and breathe in something that wasn't smoke filled. He turned and started strolling up the metal walkway, his hands in his pockets, humming a song that had been playing on the radio.

When he got to the house, he reached into his pocket for the key, and suddenly felt something icy cold against the back of his neck.

"Easy there, ghoul." Said a low, clear voice. "Turn around, nice and easy."

Gob raised his trembling hands above his head, slowly turning around and saw two men, each wearing dusty Pre-War suits, with faded felt hats slung low over their greased back hair.

"Where's the girl, zombie?" Asked the one with the overly bright silver pistol pointed directly between his eyes.

"I-I-I don't know what you're talkin' about." He said shakily, though his heart pounded and the note from Posey suddenly seemed to be made of lead rather than a scrap of paper, tucked away in his shirt pocket.

"Don't get smart," growled the man, pulling back the hammer on his gun. "I asked you a question, you shambling bit of filth. Where's. The. Girl."

"I don't know." Said Gob, keeping his eyes trained on the round, black hole in the middle of the shining silver. "She took off lookin' for her dad. Don't know where she went."

"Don't think you can trick us. You're lucky we don't blast your brains out right here and now for jerkin' us along. Now where is she?"

"I'm tellin' ya, I don't know." Said Gob, and for the first time in almost a century, his palms felt sweaty. "She left here about three days ago. Don't know where she was going."

Gob felt a sharp crack on the left side of his face and his head snapped violently to the side, pain blossoming from that side and making his eyes water and his vision spin. He could feel hot, sticky blood slide down his cheek, and drip off his chin and when his vision cleared, he saw the second man standing in front of him, his wiping his brass knuckles off with a white handkerchief.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, ghoul." Said the first man lightly. "Tell me, where'd she go?"

"Who's askin'?" Asked Gob, sounding much braver than he felt.

"That don't concern you, zombie boy." He spat, "Tell me where she went or the I'll blow your rotting head off."

"If I knew I'd tell 'ya." Said Gob frantically, "All I know is that she and a man named Colorado took off three days ago and said I could watch her place while she was gone."

"I'm gonna count to three."

"I don't know!"

"One," Said the man stepping forward, and Gob pressed his back against the door.

"I swear, I don't know!"

"Two,"

The gun's barrel was freezing against his forehead.

"I-"

"Three,"

"Wait!" Shouted Gob, and the man paused, his finger still hard on the trigger. "I got... I got a note, from Rivet City." He said, feeling his heart drop. "But I don't know if she's still there. It just said she wouldn't be back for a while, and it was delivered from Rivet City."

"Where's the note?"

Gob's insides felt full of lead.

"Threw it away, back at the bar."

"You lyin' to me, ghoul? You know what I do to liars?"

"I'm not lying. I got it today, she might still be there."

No one moved. Gob blinked at the man in front of him, and swallowed hard, feeling his hands tremble. The wind whistled through the cracks in the shoddy walls that surrounded Megaton, and one of the birds that always seemed to be wheeling overhead let out a forlorn caw.

"You're lucky I'm in a generous mood, ghoul." Said the man, finally drawing his gun back. "If I find out you were lyin' to me, I'll back. Might be anyway, can't decide. If you get any more notes, you best keep a hold of them."

Gob watched the men go, his weight barely supported on his shaking knees. He finally let himself in and collapsed against the door, shaking like a leaf as Wadsworth's cheery voice called.

"Good evening, Master Gob! I trust your day at work was pleasant?"

Gob didn't speak, instead he went straight for the kitchen and pulled out a tarnished and dented pot. He brought the note out of his pocket with trembling hands, and with his lighter, set a corner aflame. He threw the note inside the pot and watched it smolder for a moment before finally allowing himself to sink to the floor, his shoulders bowed and heart still thudding unevenly in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Smoothskin." He said, his gravely voice sounding even more broken thanusual. In front of him, the picture of Posey and her father glowed in a shaft of moonlight falling in from the roof. Posey's smile and bright blue eyes seemed fixed on him. With still unsteady hands, Gob pulled the frame down, obscuring for the moment, Posey's smiling face, before he buried his own face in his hands.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have taken some liberties, as I feel I am well within my rights to, seeing as this whole thing is fanfiction and therefore at my complete and utter whim. Forgive me a cruel chuckle, mwhahahaha.
> 
> But at least this one isn't absurdly long! So that's good. I finally got them down to a decent length instead of 14,000 words. We're On Our Way was 14,000 words. Crazy, I know.
> 
> Yeah, they're gonna stay at the Jefferson Memorial for a while, and yes, it's going to take more than a day for the facility to become fully functional because I mean, come on! The place has been abandoned for almost twenty years and then chock full of Super Mutants! And Super Mutants are hardly tidy. Leaving their gore bags to leak everywhere and such. So the place would be a bit musty.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys liked it, and as always REVIEW!


	15. Hey Jude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Jude, don't make it bad  
> Take a sad song and make it better  
> Remember to let her into your heart  
> Then you can start to make it better  
> Hey Jude, don't be afraid  
> You were made to go out and get her  
> The minute you let her under your skin  
> Then you begin to make it better  
> And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain  
> Don't carry the world upon your shoulders  
> For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool  
> By making his world a little colder  
> Hey Jude, don't let me down  
> You have found her, now go and get her  
> Remember to let her into your heart  
> Then you can start to make it better

Jude

If Jude had thought Posey was chipper before, she was nothing short of ecstatic these days. Despite the fact that both of them still hobbled about like senior citizens, and her father's lack of viable fuses seriously testing his seemingly limitless temper, Posey was practically  _ glowing. _ Rarely did he see her without a smile on her face, even though the herculean task of making the memorial livable again fell primarily on her shoulders, she seemed happy to haul out bins of trash and rubble, and scrub blood stains off of the tile. He helped where he could, though the hole in his gut prevented him from doing too much. He insisted he could do more, but Posey was adamant that he take it easy, and not pull his stitches. Not that she would take that advice for herself.

Still, she had help when help could be had. Janice leant her a hand when she was able, and Garza and the other engineer, Alex, were always willing when they were free, and once the main power came online and the dull, flickering lights grew bright, Jude thought they'd made the place damn near cheerful. Had they restored it to its Pre-War glory days? Of course not, but by wasteland standards, it was really rather impressive what Posey and the others had accomplished with a couple of boxes of Abraxo cleaner and two beat up brooms. The rubble was cleared, the stench of Super Mutants had at least faded slightly and the place was well lit and always buzzing with people. The few pieces of salvageable furniture had been dusted off and patched up and all in all, the place looked rather welcoming.

The only problem was yes, he had one of the steadiest sources of income he'd had in a long time (Jude figured Posey's old man and that Doctor Li must've been rolling in the caps, the wage he was getting) But despite the fact that he was seeing Posey every day, it always seemed to be when she was just leaving, or he would be going just as she was coming, and neither of them had had the chance to sit and talk, like they use to almost daily. Least of all, talk about what had happened the day he'd gotten shot, or rather what  _ hadn't  _ happened.

Jude couldn't decide if he was relieved or annoyed.

The only time they even had a chance at a conversation was at the end of the day when everyone decided to finally put away the research and have dinner, either all together at the memorial, or as it happened more often than not, everyone would slowly make their own way over to Rivet City, in their own groups. Which usually meant that Jude and Posey were joined by James and Doctor Li. And Doctor Li always seemed to be trailed by others, Alex or Janice usually. And Jude didn't exactly feel like bringing up an almost kiss in front of Posey's father and company.

Either way, talking to Posey one on one just didn't seem to be an option anymore, which was why Jude was very surprised when he heard footfalls entering into the pillared room, which was now combined into a dining/lounge area, with a long scrubbed wooden table (where he'd once lay sprawled out and bleeding to death) and a pair of threadbare couches, and looked up to see Posey, rounding the corner with her hands in the pockets of her Tunnel Snakes jacket. Her hair was the same as it had been in Megaton, loose and held back with a faded red bandana, with the two ends sticking up like rabbit ears from the top of her head, and for the first time in a long time, she was scowling.

"Hey," She said in surprise, seeing him seated at the table, the sleeves on his utility jumpsuit (which thankfully fit him much better than the Vault 112 suit) rolled up and the memorial building's coffee maker spread out in pieces in front of him.

"Hey yourself," He said, putting down the piece he'd been fiddling with.

"What're you up to?" She asked, her scowl slowly melting away as she looked down at the disassembled appliance in front of him.

"Well, all the other eggheads seemed too busy," He said, looking down at the various parts spread before him. "And they all whine about it being broken, so I'm fixing it."

"Looks like you're breaking it more to me." Said Posey with a smile, lifting herself up onto the table, and bracing her foot against his chair.

"Yeah well, some things have to be torn apart before they can be fixed up again." He said and Posey smiled in earnest, resting her chin in her hand and her elbow on her knees.

"That was awful poetic of you, Colorado." She said, eyes bright. Jude rolled his eyes but felt a smile of his own forming for the first time in what felt like days.

"So what's up with you?" He asked turning back to his project.

"I've been with my dad mostly." She said, gathering her hair over her shoulder. "He's been teaching me about the purifier and brushing up on my first aid."

"How come you're not in there now? Being a dutiful little egghead?" He asked, frowning slightly at the machinery before him. He couldn't quite figure out what was wrong with it, and few things annoyed Jude more than an elusive solution to an obvious problem.

"Because," Said Posey scowling and blowing a lock of hair out of her face with an impatient huff. "The 'busy body' showed up."

"Ah," Said Jude, looking back up at her with a frown. "perfectly pressed khakis and a smart sweater vest, I'm sure."

"No," Said Posey raising her eyebrows, "a suit. He's wearing a  _ suit _ , where did he even find a suit?"

"Who knows. What's he up to?"

"Dunno," Said Posey, leaning back with a sigh. "My dad sent me out after Bannon called out my measurements to the whole room and said a pale blue would bring out, 'The gold in my hair and the rose in my lips'."

Jude snorted, sitting back and shaking his head. "I told you he was an asshole."

"I know," Said Posey glumly, "And now I'm missing out. I'm sure he's upset that Doctor Li missed the last two council meetings and what with all the work she's been putting into Project Purity, their hydroponics lab has really slowed down." Posey brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin atop them with a frown. "What if he makes her go back? Project Purity means so much to my dad, and I'd hate to think some jackass in a suit can take away his chance at it,  _ again _ ."

"Bannon doesn't have that much influence, Blondie." He said, resting his folded arms on the table. "Sometimes he stirs up trouble just because he can, but he's all talk."

Posey still looked mournfully down at him and Jude sighed, looking back down at his own project. 

"It'll all work out, Blondie." He reassured, picking up a rag and rubbing the grease off his fingers, or attempting to anyway. "You and your dad will figure something out. If I know one thing, it's that you Bennetts don't let anything stand in your way."

"Yeah?" Asked Posey with a smile, which Jude returned.

"Yeah." He said with a nod. "It's kind of obnoxious, actually."

Posey laughed, and Jude saw the tense line of her shoulders relax as she let her legs slide back down, and swung them back and forth under the table.

"So I guess I should just go in there and give that Bannon a piece of my mind, huh?" She asked, smiling down at him.

"I don't see why not." Said Jude with a shrug. "I think everyone should give Bannon hell, but that's just me. He's part of the reason I never stay in Rivet City long. But yeah, go in there and show him who's boss, Blondie."

"Go show him that Project Purity isn't to be messed with." Said Posey, attempting to look threatening and cracking her knuckles.

"Oh no," Said Jude, suppressing a laugh behind his hand. "Don't do that, please don't do that."

"What!" Said Posey indignantly. "I'm displaying my clear intentions that I will use force if necessary to ensure this Project's completion." 

"Intimidation is just not your forte, Blondie." Said Jude, his shoulders shaking with the effort of holding in his mirth. "I'm not saying you couldn't take Bannon, if it came down to a fist fight I'd bet on you all the way, but just... Don't do that."

"So you're saying I should go for the more diplomatic approach." Said Posey, nodding sagely. "You think I can," Posey froze, her legs mid swing, her mouth open, mid sentence. "Jude!" She cried, leaping to her feet. "You're a genius!"

"What?" He asked furrowing his brow but Posey was already running towards the rotunda with a wide smile.

"I'll be right back! Thank you, Jude!"

Jude watched her go with raised eyebrows, and as the door swung shut to the Rotunda, he turned back to the coffee maker, shaking his head. He began slowly piecing the thing back together. He'd done what he could for the appliance, and he was sure it would work, it just wasn't as seamless as a job as he'd liked it to be. While he worked he could hear muffled voices but couldn't make out any clear words, so he focused on what he could make sense of, the machine in front of him.

He'd just finished fitting the casing back over it when the door to the rotunda opened again, and Posey exited, followed by Bannon, who Jude could see was indeed wearing a neatly pressed gray suit.  _ Jackass _

"Doctor Li won't miss another meeting," Posey was saying confidently, while Bannon folded his arms, still looking petulant. "And she and her team will return twice a week to their Rivet City lab to resume their work there. I personally will escort them to and from the city, to ensure their safety."

Bannon seemed to be struggling to find some kind of loophole or issue he could push, but Jude had to admit, Posey had presented an almost air tight solution, and Bannon could clearly see that arguing wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"Doctor Li will not miss another meeting." He finally said, seemingly at a loss to say anything else.

"She will not." Agreed Posey and Bannon looked at her carefully, before saying,

"You should stop by my shop sometime, Miss Bennett, I have a lovely chiffon frock that would do wonders for you, and perhaps we can see how accurate my estimations were."

Jude felt an unidentifiable prickle of anger creep up in his back and he unconsciously clenched his fists as Posey's eyes flashed dangerously but her smile and voice were sugar sweet as she said:

"Will you be needing an escort back to the city Mr. Bannon? I'm sure my friend Colorado would be delighted to take you back."

Colorado folded his arms and didn't bother concealing the glare that crossed his face as he looked up at the man. In truth, he'd like nothing better than to toss Bannon into the Potomac and let the Mirelurks have their way with him, but figured that might interfere with Posey's diplomatic approach.

"No," Said Bannon and Jude noted with a smirk the look of apprehension on Bannon's face. "I think I can find my own way back, thank you. Miss Bennett, it's been a delight to meet you."

"It has been an enlightening occasion." Said Posey smiling tightly as Bannon gave her a pompous nod and strode out of the Memorial building.

Once he was gone, Posey looked over at him grinning triumphantly and crossing her arms over her chest.

"You were right," She said happily, walking over and taking the chair next to him, propping her legs up on the edge of his own seat, still grinning like a maniac.

"Of course I was right," Said Jude looking down at her and raising an eyebrow. "What was I right about?"

"We Bennetts don't let anything get in our way," Said Posey, leaning her folded arms on her knees. "Especially busy bodies in fancy pants suits."

"No, you don't." Agreed Jude with a smile, "Although if you'd have just shot him the second he set foot in here it might have been taken care of a lot sooner."

Posey rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched up in a smile and Jude's eyes widened slightly as he leaned forward, crying:

"Wait!" 

Posey froze, eyes wide and whipped around, her hand falling to the holster on her hip and Jude said quickly, "No, sorry, it's nothing, just...Smile again." Posey looked back at him, an eyebrow raised still looking almost panicked, but she did smile nervously and Jude leaned forward, taking her chin gently in his hand and tilting her face to the left, so he could see her cheek more clearly,

"You've got a dimple." He said softly, running his thumb over the slight indentation on her otherwise smooth skin. "How did I never notice that before?"

"I've only got the one." Said Posey, and he could see her cheeks slowly growing pink, under his fingers. "And it's not very deep, so it makes sense that you haven't noticed."

Jude let his hand fall away and Posey looked up at him and he stared back, feeling that same twitch in his chest that he'd felt back when she'd covered his hand with hers, on the door to the same building they sat in now. How different the circumstance had been then, before Posey had found her father and this place had been dank and full of Super Mutants and Posey's face had been pale and pinched with fear.

Now, in the glow of the overhead lights, Posey's skin was awash in the light of it. It'd been warm under his fingers, and she was looking up at him with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. The brightest thing perhaps the Wasteland had ever seen.

She looked like she wanted to say something, her tongue traced the edge of her bottom lip, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked.

"Jude," She murmured and Jude felt his breath hitch in his throat as she said his name. She caught her bottom lip in her teeth, apparently at a loss for words, and Jude reached up and gently tugged it free, letting his hand linger there, letting his head fall forward,

"Posey that was amazing!"

Posey sprang away from him, her chair scraping across the tile as her father and Doctor Li burst into the room from the Rotunda, her father with a wide grin on his face and even Doctor Li wore a smile.

"Truly, Miss Bennett that was very excellently handled." Said Doctor Li, clasping her hands in front of her. "Bannon can be...  _ difficult _ , at times. But that was a very logical solution."

"Grace under pressure." Agreed James smiling brightly. "Really darling, that was spectacular."

Posey blushed and Jude sat back in his chair, running his fingers through his hair, keeping his gaze trained on the now repaired coffee maker in front of him, feeling a little warm around the face and neck as well.

"You're sure it won't be too much work, for you and your team?" Asked Posey, addressing Doctor Li, who shook her head.

"No, we're used to long hours. We'll be fine."

"Glad to hear it." Said Posey with a smile, "The show must go on, as they say."

"Indeed it must," Replied James, returning her smile with one of his own. "that being said I could use your help back in the Rotunda. With Bannon taken care of, all that's left to worry about now is the fuses, and then Project Purity can truly begin again, but until then we must,"

James chattered on about who knew what, filtration systems and pH levels as Doctor Li trailed after him, pouring over her notes. Posey hesitated, took a step towards her father, but glanced back at Jude over her shoulder.

"Go on, Blondie." He said, waving her off as he forced a smile. "I'll catch you later."

Posey nodded and gave him a smile, her dimple winking at him as she turned and ducked into the Rotunda.

* * *

 

Posey

That was twice now. She couldn't decide if she wanted to scream for being interrupted, run back to Jude and tackle him no matter who was looking, or bury herself in research and never look at him again. For the time being, the latter option seemed the only one available to her, so she transposed her father's records onto fresh paper in the Rotunda, listening to the gentle lapping water beneath her feet and her father's light as he worked, and tried to think only of that. She wasn't very successful.

Posey had, technically speaking, had her first kiss, but it was an awkward, hurried thing. A peck really, that grazed her lips and crashed onto her chin and then Freddie was gone. She'd found out later that it was only on a dare that he'd kissed her at all, which stung. Having her first kiss robbed in such an undignified fashion was one thing, but to have it posed in such a way that the act seemed so repulsive that it was worthy of a dare? Well, that was just plain rude.

Of course, there had been the incident on the night of her escape, with Butch, his lips hard and fast on hers, the cloying smell of his pomade heavy in her lungs as he lead her to where his mother was trapped. She'd never had the opportunity to kiss someone that she liked. Never in a million years would she have thought that she would even have the chance to kiss someone like Jude.

Then again, she thought wryly, perhaps she didn't. There always seemed to be an intrusion, usually in the form of her father. How embarrassing was that? Yet no matter how hard she concentrated on the numbers and figures before her, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to how his fingers had felt on her face, and how Jude never smelled overpowering, not like Butch and definitely not like Mister Burke. Jude just smelled...clean. Which was miracle enough considering the circumstances. Clean, with the barest spike of leather or grease, depending on what he'd been doing. Yet it was heady and as intoxicating to her as the scent of the flowers back on Tranquility Lane. Not to mention his  _ face _ . She really liked his face. A lot.

Jude was a puzzle. A jigsaw puzzle that Posey kept finding pieces of the more she looked. Physically, he was an enigma. He had a slew of outstanding features: His eyes (lord his  _ eyes _ ), his nose, his mouth, his cheekbones. Everything was big and intense but there was almost a sense of fragility about him. The delicate bow of his lips juxtaposed with the strong line of his nose, and the sweep of his eyelashes so close to his heavy brows. Logically speaking, his features shouldn't have worked so well together, but somehow they came together in a way that was, at least in Posey's opinion, intimidatingly attractive.

Not to mention as an individual, the ragged patchwork that made up Jude himself. The smiles and the jokes that turned to the brusque retorts and snarls if she prodded too long, peeled up too many corners. He was so gentle and so wild. So solid, and yet on the verge of shattering. She'd never encountered anything like him, and she doubted she ever would again, even if she lived to be a hundred and traveled this wasteland and all others under the sun.

"Posey? How's it coming?"

Posey looked up and saw her father, paused in the act of recording the reactor's levels. She looked down and saw that she'd been stuck on the same column of data for the last five minutes.

"Oh, um," She said, looking up at him and feeling the all too familiar sensation of blood rushing to her cheeks. "not great, sorry Dad."

"Not to worry." Said James, setting down his clipboard. "Perhaps we should stop for the day. Looking down at that tiny print all day is going to give you a headache, and it's nearly seven."

"Really?" asked Posey in surprise, and James smiled.

"You really have been down the rabbit hole this evening. Come on, we'll want to make it to Rivet City and back again before it gets too dark."

Jude was nowhere to be found as the two of them left the memorial, and Posey was almost grateful for that. She had no idea what she would say to him, even if she had run into him.

"Would you like to invite Mr. Hiller to join us for dinner?" Asked her father, looking down at her with an amused smile twisting his lips. Posey blushed, embarrassed to be caught in her blatant search.

"No, that's okay." Said Posey, scuffing her feet against the tile. "I don't have a clue where he is to even ask him."

"He does seem rather elusive these days." Said James conversationally. "But he certainly is very good at what he does. He's been on guard duty almost nonstop for the past few weeks."

"Well, that is what you're paying him for." Said Posey, as they reached the gift shop exit. "He takes stuff like that seriously."

"As well he should." Said James, opening the door and stepping out into the wasteland. Posey followed, pausing to look up at the pale yellow clouds scattered across the sky, saturated in the sun's dying rays. It took her a moment to realize that her father had kept walking and was now a good distance away, looking back at her with a smile.

"Sorry," she called, rushing forward to catch up but James shook his head.

"Don't apologize, sweetheart." He said as she reached him. "You're mother used to say, 'Always take the time to watch the sunrise.' it applies just as well to sunsets, I think."

"Even with the Project Purity waiting for us, the fate of the Wasteland resting on our shoulders?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking up at him.

"Especially then." Said James as the two of them strolled forward, Posey linking her arm with his like she'd done as a child. "It's always good to keep things in perspective, take time for the little things. It balances out the big things, such as saving the world and what not."

"Little things, huh." She said, looking up at the vivid sky above them. "Well, I guess those bombs all those years ago were good for something. All this irradiated haze makes for some pretty fantastic sunsets."

"That it does." Agreed James, looking upwards as well. "Trying times have always brought out the best and worst in situations and in people. You find out what a person is really made of when they've got nothing to hide behind. That was probably what made your mother so intriguing to me when I first met her. She never balked at anything, never let anything slow her down."

"You two must have been quite the power couple." Said Posey with a smile. "Jude told me you kept watch, that night after the Deathclaw attack. You didn't wake him up all night. Nothing's slowing you down, either."

"Except for those fuses." Said James, frowning as they entered Rivet City and headed for the galley.

"That's completely out of your control, Dad." Said Posey with a frown. "There's nothing you can, oh!"

In her attentiveness to her father, Posey hadn't been watching where she'd been going and had consequently crashed into a man exiting the Marketplace.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Said Posey, crouching down and picking up the man's faded felt fedora she'd knocked clean out of his hands. "I didn't even see you there." She looked up with an apologetic smile and held up the hat to the man, who was looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"Not a problem, doll." Said the man slowly, taking the hat and easing it back onto his slick backed hair. "Don't worry about it." He, like Bannon, was wearing a double breasted suit coat, though his looked a little travel worn. His companion, similarly dressed though much larger than the man Posey had bumped into, watched the exchange with a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Excuse me." Said Posey, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rise and she was very glad for the familiar weight of her pistol at her hip. She felt her father's hand on her back as he ushered her down the steps, maneuvering carefully past the pair and down to the marketplace. When Posey glanced over her shoulder, the men were gone.

* * *

 

Jude

April gave way to May, and Jude was astonished at how quickly it had done so, considering the difficulty of setting any sort of routine, as the work that needed to be done always varied. With no word of fuses being found, James had decided they would try and build their own, something that Jude could actually help with. True, he'd had no formal training with such a thing, but he was a quick study, and building things and repairing odds and ends had always come naturally to him, and it was work he rather enjoyed.

Neither Posey nor Jude had brought up the two incidents in the little amount of time they'd been able to spend together over the spanning weeks. Posey had taken up a few guard shifts while Jude helped with rebuilding the fuses, and their schedules always seemed to be off, and Jude sometimes wondered if she was intentionally avoiding him, or perhaps if James had something to do with their star crossed timetables. He thought the doctor liked him well enough, and he was always more than happy to see Jude and explain something to him, but he always seemed to be around just when Jude thought he might finally get to talk to Posey on her own. This sort of behavior was completely foreign to Jude. He'd encountered many things in the Wasteland, but an overprotective father, attempting to shield his daughter from a boy's interest was never one of them.

Not that he knew exactly what his interest in Posey was. It was something he couldn't explain, even to himself. Sure, she was a good looking dame, he'd noticed that right from the beginning. But it was a sort of good looking he'd never known existed, and at first, one he didn't trust. Her eyes had seemed too big, her skin too pale, hair too shiny. She looked made of porcelain, ready to break at a moment's notice. She wasn't like that now. Her hair was always messy, her skin had darkened under the sun's rays and while her eyes were still bright and curious, they had a steely glint now, and when she looked someone over, Jude could almost see the gears turning in her head as to how she'd take them down, if she had to. It suited her, the Wasteland. Her numerous scars, some of them still red and angry looking, didn't detract from her appearance in the slightest. They added to it. She didn't look perfect, she didn't look fragile, but underneath it all, she still had that incorrigible sense of goodness Jude couldn't figure out. He didn't know if he really wanted to figure it out.

Luckily, he didn't have the time to even try.

His thoughts were averted rather violently to other things as the first week of May ended. Jude hated this month. The heat began to be oppressive, and despite his best efforts to completely submerge himself into Project Purity, he could hear  _ them _ howling in his ear again. The barest whisperings of ghosts that he couldn't seem to shake. He'd done very well for so many years, but then he'd met Posey, and all her innocent poking and prodding was starting to peel up the patches he'd plastered there years ago. No one had ever asked about him before. No one had ever cared to know. All they cared about was how good of a shot he was, or how many caps he wanted for his salvage. Jude liked it that way. He'd thought he did anyway.

In a rare moment of seclusion, down in the bunk room of the memorial building, Jude absently fingered the cool metal of the chain around his neck, running his fingers over the key dangling from the end. The grooves were blackened with dirt and grime, but along the top the metal gleamed from how many times he'd run his fingers over it, unintentionally polishing it smooth.Back when they'd first arrived at the memorial, there had been a moment of panic when he'd first woken up after Doctor Li and James had been digging around in his guts, and he'd found himself without his shirt and without his key. He'd been too hyped up on Med-X to notice at first, but when he had noticed, he'd felt like he'd been shot all over again. Luckily, it had simply been placed atop his neatly folded (and completely ruined) T-shirt. He didn't know who had put it there. It couldn't have been Posey. Had she seen it, she would have instantly demanded to know what it was for, and why he was carrying it. That was something he really didn't care to get into. Especially not with her.

He turned the key over in his hands, watching it catch the light. He didn't know why he kept the damn thing. 

He was never going back. He had no reason to. He should just have gotten rid of it. He had so many opportunities to. He should have done it weeks ago, that night Posey had gotten clawed. He should have done it that day, seven years ago when he'd locked up the old place for good, when...

"Hey, Jude? Are you down here?"

Posey's voice echoed in the hall and she appeared in the doorway to the room just as he hastily shoved the key back under his shirt.

"There you are," she said, smiling at him, her hands clasped behind her back. "I was hoping you'd be free, I just got...Jude? What's wrong?" She asked, her smile instantly fading as she stepped forward.

"Nothing." He said brusquely, sitting up and drawing a hand over his face.

"Your eyes are red," she said, crouching down in front of him, resting her hand on his knee as she looked up into his face, her brows knitted in concern. He ignored the lurch his stomach made the moment she'd touched him. "Do you have a headache? Or a fever?"

"I said I'm fine." He said but Posey wasn't listening. Instead, she reached up and to his horror, brushed the chain still visible around his neck, sloppily tucked in in his haste to conceal it.

"What's this?" She asked and Jude stood up suddenly, leaving her crouched by the side of his bed.

"I said I'm  _ fine _ ." He growled. Posey stood up as well, still frowning and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Jude," She said imploringly, "talk to me! What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" He snapped. "Why do you always have to ask if I'm alright? I don't need you to doctor me, Blondie."

Posey bristled and Jude could see her fists clenching and her shoulders tensing.

"I ask because you're my friend and I'm worried about you!" She shot back. "Why do  _ you  _ get so defensive anytime I ask you something!"

"I don't need you to worry about me." He said, refusing to meet her gaze. He could feel his heartbeat thudding in his ears and he wished he could run, escape and find something that needed fixing, or maybe something that needed breaking, but Posey was standing firmly in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest and glowering at him.

"Well too bad," she said sourly, "because I do worry about you. It's what friends do! They talk to each other, and they don't bite the other person's head off anytime they ask a simple question!"

"Then maybe I don't want to be your friend!" He said, turning back to her with a scowl. "You and your damn curiosity always butting into things that don't matter anymore!"

Posey gaped at him, and Jude knew that he'd gone too far, and in truth, he regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.

"Excuse me!" She demanded, finally finding a voice, and she'd gone from looking ready to burst into tears to wanting to punch his nose in. "You are _such_ a hypocrite! I can't even-" She turned away, shaking her head and letting out an angry huff. "And, for the record," She said, whirling back around to face him and jabbing an accusatory finger at his chest, "I wasn't even asking about your oh so _mysterious past_ ," She drawled, her words dripping sarcasm. "I wanted to know how you are right now! But now that we're on the subject, let's _chat_ , Mr. _Colorado_." She continued, her voice scathing. "Let's talk about how _you_ get to ask _me_ ALL sorts of questions! About the vault, or about my father or about _Butch_ Deloriafor crying out loud! But the moment, the very _second_ I ask you for the tiniest," She held up her thumb and forefinger, a millimeter apart, " _tiniest_ detail, you shut me out!I feel like I don't even know you!"

"Why do you want to!" he demanded, stepping back from her and pushing her hand down with a scowl, "Why do you care so much about who I was!" He could feel himself flushing, and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he clenched his jaw so tight his teeth ground together. 

"Because you know everything there is to know about me!" She shouted, "And the only thing I know about you is that you are stubborn, hypocritical, asshole who refuses to compromise!". He took a step back, shaking his head, and letting out a slight snort. "Well," He said, snidely, stepping past her, "That should be more than enough for you, shouldn't it, Blondie?"

He took a step back, shaking his head, and letting out a slight snort. "Well," He said, snidely, stepping past her, "That should be more than enough for you, shouldn't it, Blondie?"

"Jude, wait," She said, reaching out but he shook her off, snatching up his shotgun that leaned against his bunk and pounding up the stairs. 

"Jude!"She yelled, and he could hear the anger in her voice. "Get back here!"

"Uh oh," Daniel, the asshole engineer stopped at the head of the stairs as Jude made his way up them, "trouble in paradise, huh? A bit of a lover's spat?" Jude shoved his way past him, ramming his shoulder into the man who stumbled and almost toppled down the stairs. His shouts mingled with Posey's but Jude didn't stop. He didn't run into anyone else either as he practically sprinted out of the memorial, out into the baking heat of The Wasteland. He could feel the rays beating down on his head, soaking into his skin. He felt the heat pressing down on him as he made his way to Rivet City, suppressing the urge to run as he tried to keep ahead of the ghosts nipping at his heels.

* * *

 

Posey

Posey was fuming. She could feel the anger percolating under her skin, flushing her face and clenching her fists. Daniel took one look at her and turned and fled back up the stairs, the same way Jude had left and Posey had half a mind to chase him down, just so she could expend some of the pent up rage that was making her muscles shake. Her palms, which had finally started to heal began to sting again as she clenched her hands so tight her fingers cramped and her nails dug into her skin, pushing into her flesh and sending small shoots of pain up her arms.

"Why you-" She kicked a nearby foot locker in her anger, and it fell over, springing open and spilling the contents of her duffel bag onto the floor. Posey swore in anger and kicked aside a spare vault suit, scowling ferociously.

"Posey?"

Posey whirled around and saw her father, entering hesitantly into the bunk room, keeping his eyes trained wairly on her.

"Everything alright, sweetheart?"

"Everything's peachy." She spat, sitting down hard on the nearest bunk and glaring at the floor.

"I saw Mr. Hiller, making a quick getaway." He said, joining her on the bed. "Did you two have a fight?"

"I guess that's the short version." Grumbled Posey.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Asked her Father, looking seriously down at her.

All at once, Posey felt all the fight go out of her, and she slumped back on the bed, looking glumly up at the bunk above her.

"No," She said dully. "not really anyway. Not physically, of course not physically."

"Then how?"

Posey sighed, "This is so cliche." She moaned, draping her arm over her eyes. "You want me to talk to you about boy troubles?"

"I don't think anything in your life is cliche, Posey." Said James wearily, shifting slightly on the bed so he was leaning against the footboard. "And if you would like to talk about it, then yes. I am all ears."

Posey groaned again, but lifted her arm and looked up at him sulkily.

"Right now?" She asked, and James shrugged.

"Whenever you're ready to talk." He said, patting her knee and getting to his feet. Posey watched him go, trying to calm her turbulent thoughts, sort through them into manageable piles. She'd rarely been so angry. She was surprised at how much his words both hurt and infuriated her. How miserably unfair he was being. How selfish, how  _ idiotic _ .

"Wait," called Posey, hauling herself into a sitting position. Her father's footsteps paused, and he slowly appeared in the doorway. Posey patted the space next to her, and her father took a seat, looking expectantly at her. Posey took a deep breath and let it out slow before saying,

"We did have a fight. I came down to find him and he was just staring out at nothing, and his eyes were red. So I asked him what was wrong and he just blew up at me, he  _ always _ does that, every time I ask a question!"

"Everytime?" Asked James raising an eyebrow.

"Well, not everytime." muttered Posey, "That's why it's so confusing!" She cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I can never tell when he's willing to talk or if he's going to get defensive and angry. It's not fair! When we were looking for you, he'd ask me all sorts of questions. And I would answer them! He would ask me why I left the Vault, he asked me who Freddie Gomez was and all sorts and it's not fair! I..." She blushed and looked down at the floor, "I haven't held anything back with him." She muttered, still looking at the ground, and she was horrified at the sudden pricking of unshed tears behind her eyes. "I've told him  _ everything,  _ and I get  _ nothing  _ in return."

James was quiet for a moment, looking down at the ground with a thoughtful frown, the only time he ever really frowned around her.

"Posey," He said slowly, "I'm going to tell you something that might make you angry. And know that I'm not taking any sides by any means, I'm just offering you some outside advice."

"Alright," Said Posey slowly, drawing one knee up to her chest and looking at him warily.

"I'm very glad you didn't grow up out here." said James after another contemplative silence. "Admittedly, our entrance into the Vault was far from ideal but I'm grateful that you spent your childhood where you did. I've already told you, living out here in the Wastes...It isn't easy. You make sacrifices and decisions that you regret all in the name of one thing, survival." His face was grim and the word hung between them for a moment. Posey let her gaze drop to the ground as she bite her lip. "It takes up so much of what you are and leaves little behind for anything else." He continued, "You loose things out here. You lose people, and in some instances, more than once. And that sort of pain is difficult to understand unless you've experienced it before."

"So..." Said Posey, drawing the vowels out and looking up at her father with knitted brows. "I should apologize?"

"I don't think you've done anything inherently wrong." Said her father with a shrug. "I think you were just being you. My wonderfully curious, inquisitive girl always chasing after knowledge. It's just," He paused again, frowning slightly at nothing in particular until he finally let his gaze find hers, and he was looking oddly somber. "sometimes you have to be careful." He said, his voice low and serious. "You might not like what you find. And you can't unlearn things, not completely."

Posey dropped her gaze, feeling her stomach clench in apprehension.

"I think you should talk to him." Said her father, and she could feel his reassuring hand smoothing back her tangled hair before he got to his feet. "He probably just needs time to sort out his head, not unlike yourself. Give him time and room to do so. He's just a boy. A very large, very surly boy, but a boy none the less. I'm fairly well versed in their mannerisms, seeing as I was one myself at one time."

Posey felt a slight smile twitch on his lips as she looked up at him, "I'm trying to imagine a scenario where you and Jude have anything in common." Said Posey with a smile. "It's a very amusing prospect."

"It shouldn't be that hard." He said with a shrug. "I don't know Mr. Hiller very well, but I know at least one thing we have in common."

"Oh?" Asked Posey, raising her eyebrow.

"We both care a great deal about you." Said James with a smile. He turned and left, and Posey felt her breathing hitch as she looked back down, flushing.

Once her father was gone, Posey got to her feet and started putting all the things she'd upended back in place. She folded her spare suits with mechanical movements and smoothed the rumpled sleeping bag on her bunk, straightening the edges and then pausing, remembering Jude's smirk as he'd tossed the bedroll to her. She shook her head with a sigh, and straightened up. Hopefully, by the time she made it to Rivet City, Jude would have, as her father had put it, sorted out his head.

* * *

 

It took much longer than Posey would have thought to find Jude. She'd asked Harkness if he'd seen him, to which she'd received a rude but not unexpected snappy retort. The guards were also touchy and unhelpful and Vera of the Weatherly Hotel hadn't seen him. She was just about to give up when she encountered a door she'd seen on many occasions but had never actually been inside. She looked around, but the corridor was empty. Hesitantly, she tested the handle and swung the door open.

She recognized the smell before anything else. Stale cigarette smoke and spirits, not unlike the pervasive air of Moriarty's place and Posey immediately drew the conclusion that this place must have been a bar. She edged inside uncertainly, looking at the few patrons on the upper level warily. None of them were Jude, but as she approached the railing of the level, she could see a familiar figure hunched over the bar. Posey clutched at the railing, leaning forward slightly but Jude didn't move. She rocked back and forth on her toes for a moment, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. How much 'sorting out' had he done if he was here, and relatively unresponsive? Jude always, no matter where they were, turned to see who had entered a room. Any time a door opened in his vicinity Jude had to see who stepped through. But now? He hadn't even twitched. Posey shook her head, letting out a sigh and hurried down the steps.

Jude made no move of acknowledgment as she drew closer, and Posey could see that his eyes were unfocused and his cheeks flushed. There was a glass in front of him with half an inch of amber liquid at the bottom and Posey asked hesitantly, "Jude?"

Jude lifted his head, his movements sluggish but still sure, like they always were. Jude didn't waste actions. His eyes finally met hers and Posey saw the barest flicker of recognition flash across his face.

"Jude," She said again, taking the stool next to him. "are you...drunk?"

"I think so," He said with a slight frown. "I sure as hell hope so. That's why I came to this dive in the first place. To get piss drunk." He downed the rest of the drink in front of him and rapped his knuckles on the bar. A rather forlorn looking woman with a stained apron and a limp brown bun refilled his glass, then disappeared again. "Man," He said, picking up the glass and squinting down at the drink. "I hate drunk people. Have I ever told you that, Blondie? How much I hate drunk people?"

"No, you haven't told me that." Said Posey, while Jude took a sip and grimaced.

"They're so sloppy." He mumbled, taking another careful swig. "Ahh, this stuff." He smacked his lips together appreciatively. "Is really bad. It's really bad." Unsteadily, he held the glass out to her, the drink sloshing around the sides "Wanna try some?"

"No thanks," Said Posey, gently pushing the glass away. "Jude, I-"

"You're smart, Blondie." He said shrewdly, pointing at her and nodding sagely. "You're a real egghead, you know? Billy Creel, back in Megaton, he used to tell dumb blonde jokes, till he got sweet on Jenny Stahl, but I never got them. What did blonde hair have to do with smarts?"

"Nothing," Said Posey with a frown. "It's just old Pre-War predicated sexism and-"

"See what I mean!" He cried, "Smart! But," He paused and blinked slowly, and almost as an afterthought took another drink. "But if you were really smart," He said, swallowing hard. "You'd turn right around and never look back."

Posey flinched, feeling her heart thud in her ears and her fists clench. "W-what?" That damn prickling was back, burning behind her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Blondie." He said dully, finally dropping his gaze. He looked utterly exhausted. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done. You know, I was half wishing you'd walk through that door." He gestured towards the entrance to the bar with a limp hand. "And I was half wishing I'd never see you again."

"Jude," said Posey, her voice catching in her throat.

"I'm only gonna do you wrong, Blondie." He said, his voice bleak and every syllable fraught with pain. "I'm gonna mess this up." He shook his head as his own voice hitched and rapped his knuckles on the bar again. "It's just my luck." Said Jude into his fresh glass with a dark chuckle. "I find a real firecracker. Smart as a tack and gorgeous and you know the worst part?"

"What?" Asked Posey quietly, feeling as if someone was pinching her heart.

"You like me." He said, miserably, as if that were the worst thing in the world. His eyelids drooped and he looked away, drawing a hand over his face. "I know you do, Blondie. I like you too. I like you a lot. But I...I can't..." He shook his head and went to take another drink but Posey covered his glass with her hand, lowering it back to the bar.

"Can't what?" She asked, looking at him and feeling her heart pound in her chest.

"I can't have you." He said simply, looking up at her, and his eyes looked suddenly clearer. "I can't have you because I'm only gonna do you wrong and I can't..." He let out a shuddering breath and scrubbed his eyes with his free hand, dropping his glass on the bar and holding his head in both his hands. "I can't..." He said brokenly and Posey had to clench her fists to keep them from shaking and bite her lip to hold back a sob. She could see now, the ragged and razor sharp edges that made up Jude, the ones he'd tried to bind and hold together with the scraps he could find. He was barbed wire and cut glass and yet...Posey wasn't afraid.

"Hey," She said, moving her hand from his glass to his hand. "Jude, I-"

"Don't," He said, shaking his head minutely. "Posey, please don't. I wish I could tell you better, but I can't just... It's like," he sighed. "It's like I was born with this gun in my hand." He said looking down at her, the skin taut with pain around his eyes, and the wrinkles she loved to see crinkled in a smile were more prominent than ever. "I was born with this. This gun, and no one's bothered to teach me how to use it, and it keeps going off and," He closed his eyes, "I don't wanna hurt you, Blondie." He said, at last, looking down at her. His eyes looked fractured, ready to shatter and the pinching hold on Posey's heart grew tighter. "I don't want to hurt you." He repeated emphatically. "And I'm so afraid I'm going to. You, you of all people, deserve to be happy."

"I am happy." She said vehemently. "Or at least I was until you decided you could make that decision for me."

"I'm only going to hurt you, one way or another." Said Jude, dropping his gaze. "Somehow I'm-"

"Can't I decide if I want to take that risk?" She asked, almost angrily, scooting her stool closer. "We all get hurt sometimes, Jude. We all have regrets and heartache and we don't get to choose when these things happen to us. Can we try and avoid it, by hiding in dives and drinking ourselves into oblivion? Yeah, but should we?"

"If you're gonna hide, choose a place with better drinks." Said Jude and Posey's lips twitched in a smile.

"Things are going to hurt in life." She said quietly, still keeping her hand clasped over his. "Some things are gonna hurt like hell but it's because they're important. It hurts because it matters, Jude. And I want to know you. I want to know everything about you."

"You know my name." He said, refusing to look at her. "My real name. I can count on one hand how many people know that, and you know my favorite color. I didn't even know I had a favorite color until I met you. Now I know it's blue. Why can't that be enough for you?"

"I just want you to trust me." Said Posey, drawing back.

"I do trust you."

"But you always shut me out." She murmured, ducking her head slightly so Jude was forced to meet her gaze.

"If I could I would shut me out," he said, looking at her from under his lashes. "It's got nothing to do with trust."

"Please, Jude." She leaned forward again, and Jude looked up at her without lifting his chin. "Just let me ask you one question." She said, "Just one."

"Blondie," He said wearily.

"Why did you help me?" She asked firmly. "Why did you help me find my dad when there was absolutely nothing in it for you?"

Jude didn't speak for a moment. He stared down at the drink in front of him, tracing the rim of the glass with his finger and frowning. Posey could see his freckles, despite his rosy cheeks, a galaxy's worth of golden brown constellations dotting his skin.

"When I first saw you," He said at last. "I didn't know what to think. You were so pale, practically translucent, and your eyes were so big and so blue and that ridiculous jacket."

Posey scowled slightly, shoving her hands stubbornly into the pockets of her Tunnel Snakes jacket.

"I saw you and I thought, she'll be dead by the end of the day." Continued Jude, still observing his drink, rather than her. "You reminded me, now don't laugh at me, but you reminded me of this cup, that I found when I was scavenging. It was white, the brightest white I'd ever seen. It had a blue flower, painted on it and I knew it was worthless, that no one would buy it but I couldn't help but stare at it. It was unlike anything I'd ever come across before. Then, raiders found me and I dropped it. I can still remember the sound it made when it broke. It was almost, musical." He paused, drumming his fingers against the bar and frowning, his eyes unfocused again, and Posey couldn't tell if it was because of the drink or the nostalgia. "It was wrecked but still..."

He was quiet for another minute and Posey didn't dare move. This was probably the most she'd ever heard Jude say without her chiming in.

"When I was seventeen, before I signed up with Patrick and the Wasteland Warriors, I went looking for my dad."

Posey blinked, pulling back and sitting up a little straighter.

"Your-"

"Yeah, my dad. I hadn't seen him for seven years. I had no idea where he was, no idea where to look even." He shook his head, "But I found him. He was sitting, right on that stool, where you're at right now."

Posey looked down at the stool she was sitting on, then back up at Jude, who still wasn't meeting her gaze.

"It took me almost three months to find him." He said, running a hand down his face. "I'd been combing the Wasteland for weeks, and I just decided one day to poke my head in here, into this dump, and there he was. Sitting at the bar, alone and drunk off his ass. I don't know how many times I'd checked this damn boat up and down for him, and just on some Tuesday afternoon, there he was. It was May thirteenth."

Posey started slightly, looking down at her Pip-Boy, and saw the date glowing in green numbers: 05-13-2277.

"I went up to him, I asked, 'You Sal Hiller?'. He was so plastered," Jude shook his head in disgust. He looked down at the half finished drink in front of him, his lip curling. "I don't know how he was still sitting up straight, but he nodded and asked, 'who the hell are you?'. He didn't recognize me. How could he? I don't think he'd recognize his own mother at that point. He didn't have the faintest idea who I was, but he said, he had a son about my age. And even though I was a complete stranger, he had no problem telling me how his 'good for nothing son' ruined his life."

Posey didn't speak but she did jump as with one sudden, vicious movement, Jude swiped the glass off the bar. It crashed onto the floor below, the sound of glass shattering causing all of the patrons to pause and look towards the pair of them curiously. The woman behind the bar gave Posey a half hearted glare which Posey returned with a scowl.

"I was going to leave him there," Said Jude, causing Posey to wrench her gaze back to him. "just walk away, and never look back but two guys in slick suits came into the bar, tried to haul him off. Said he owed Mister Burke something. A lot of somethings. I tried to stop them, there was a fight that I lost horrifically." Jude traced the scar on his temple. "They probably would have killed me, but another guy at the bar stepped in and told them to: 'lay off the kid.'. Turned out that man was Patrick. So they drug my dad off and I never saw him again."

Posey didn't know what to say, so she just listened, and waited.

"So, when I heard you were looking for your dad...I guess I kind of wanted to see if the Wasteland treated everyone like shit or if I was just particularly unlucky."

"Jude," Said Posey after a pause, "I'm so sorry."

She knew that it fell flat, even though she was in complete sincerity. There was just nothing you could say to that. She wanted to comfort him and to apologize all at the same time, but anything else she could have said would have had the same effect. No matter what she said, Jude's father would still be gone, and he'd still be broken by it, and her father would still be here, and Posey would still never completely understand what Jude was feeling. She'd never completely understand him, and all of his pieces.

Neither of them spoke, and Jude didn't drink anymore, just stared out at nothing. Posey sat, feeling small and uncomfortable and impossibly sad and wishing she could evaporate on the spot. Her father was right in a sense. She hadn't liked what she'd found. Not the story itself, but the pain she could feel radiating off Jude. She'd caused that. Indirectly maybe, but she'd brought it up. Because she couldn't keep her questions to herself. Because she was curious.

"Jude," She tried, but he shook his head.

"I know what you're feeling, Blondie. I don't resent you because you found your dad. I told you, you deserve to be happy."

"So do you." She said, "You haven't done anything wrong."

Jude laughed, "You don't know that, Blondie."

"But I do." She insisted. "You haven't done anything to wrong me. That's all I know, and..." She swallowed hard. "That's enough for me. You've been nothing but good to me and my dad. I know that, and I'm sorry, for what I said, and for...anything else."

She got unsteadily to her feet. She'd been leaning forward on her stool and the blood flow to her feet had been reduced and now they were alive with pins and needles. She stepped past him and bent down, carefully gathering up the shards of the broken glass. She heard Jude's stool scrape against the floor and looked up to see him crouching in front of her, gently taking the jagged pieces from her and straightening up. He placed them carefully on the bar. Jude was anything but a sloppy drunk. Or maybe he just wasn't drunk enough. He sank back onto his stool and refused to meet her eyes.

"We could still use a Merc, at the memorial." She said gently, taking a careful step forward. "You know where to find us. And I..." She paused, reaching out and brushing back a lock of hair that had fallen into his eyes. Jude closed his eyes as she withdrew her hand. "I could still use a friend, if you'll have me."

She turned and hurried out of the Muddy Rudder, and forced herself not to look back.

* * *

 

 

Jude didn't return that night. So Posey took his usual guard shift, and Garza kindly offered to relieve her of guard duty around three in the morning. Posey was grateful not only to have a chance to rest but be able to shut her brain off. Guard duty was too solitary and too quiet and a veritable breeding ground for unhelpful and guilt ridden thoughts. She'd barely managed to crawl up the ladder onto her top bunk, but it had been a relief to swap her armored suit for a simple night shirt Janice had lent her, and let her head fall onto her pillow, finally allowing her overworked brain to slow. It felt like she'd only been asleep for five minutes when she felt someone gently shaking her shoulder.

"Somebody better be dying or there'd better be an army of Super Mutants pounding on our door to justify this." She groaned, still keeping her eyes shut tight.

"No Mutants," Said a familiar voice. "and I'm pretty sure I'm not dying. Although I am quite hungover."

Posey sat up quickly, her eyes flying open as she looked down at Jude, who was standing beside her bunk, smiling and looking like death warmed over but much more alert than she was used to seeing that early in the morning.

"Jude?" She asked, unable to fight the grin forming on her lips. "What're you-"

"Come on," He said, motioning for her to come down. "I got something I wanna show you."

He was grinning widely, despite his red rimmed eyes and the dark circles beneath them. His hair was awry and he was in dire need of a shave, but he looked better than he had last night.

"When did you get here?" Asked Posey, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Early." Said Jude, "Come on!"

"Just a second!" Laughed Posey, making her unsteady way out of her bunk. "I can barely see straight, I'm going to crash into something."

"Well hurry it up." Said Jude impatiently, "I don't know how long it will last."

"How long what will last?" She asked, finally standing upright in front of him and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, slowly coming out of the sluggish fog she was in. She was definitely awake enough to see the smile that grew on Jude's face, however, and feel the leap her stomach made as she felt his hand take hers. It dwarfed her own and was so warm, so weatherbeaten and rough with callouses it sent a shiver down her spine.

"I'll show you." He said.

Posey couldn't help the gasp that slipped past her lips as Jude opened the door to the memorial. The sky above them, covered in its usual curtain of clouds and fog was blazing with colors. Delicate pink wisps trailed across the pale blue gray sky, accompanied by enormous columns of golden cumulus clouds. The very air seemed to be soaked in gold, and far off on the horizon, she could see the clouds under bellies painted a fiery orange as the sun skulked out of view, reluctant to rise. The moon was still up, framed as it was by the blush colored clouds and Posey felt something in her chest stir at the stunning display around her.

The paving stones were cold under her bare feet as she stepped out further so as to take in the entire sky around her, looking up into the depths. It seemed both close enough to touch and impossibly far away.

"This is beautiful." She said, tearing her gaze away from the watercolor sky above her to look back at Jude, who stood with his arms folded and watching her with a smile playing on his lips. The sepia toned air made his eyes impossibly green. The kind of green of lush growing things. A green the Wasteland had forgotten existed.

"Thought you might like it." Said Jude, leaning back against the memorial and looking up at the sky. "Don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it before. Must be a good sign; waking up to this."

Posey hummed in agreement, looking up at the clouds above her, eyes shining.

"You got goosebumps, Blondie." Said Jude, looking down at her arm as he joined her.

"Can't help it." She said, not looking down. "It's chilly, and this is...amazing. Truly," She looked down at him and smiled. "thank you, Jude. Thank you for waking me up and..."

_ Thank you for coming back _ . She thought.

"It's payback for all the times you've dragged me out of bed at ungodly hours." He said with a shrug and Posey laughed, looking up at the sky, a smile still lingering on her lips. The wonder of it all made her bold and she surprised Jude and herself by laying her head against his arm, the top of her head just brushing his shoulder, and slipping her arm around his waist. Hesitantly, as if he weren't sure how his own limbs worked, Jude lifted his arm up slightly, so she was leaning more against his shoulder, where his arm met his torso and rested it on her shoulders. She could feel the muscles still tense in his arm so she gave his waist a little squeeze, and slowly, his arm relaxed and even his breathing seemed to come a little easier.

"I know you, Jude." She said, at last, looking from the sky to him. She still had to look up, and the clouds wreathed his head, their pastel hues standing out vividly against his dark hair. "I know everything important, anyway."

"You think?" He asked looking down at her and the skin around his eyes crinkled with a smile that made the one on her face grow exponentially.

"Yeah," She said, looking out over the Wasteland and resting her head against him. "I know your name. I know your favorite color. I know you're not a morning person, but you are a good person. That's enough for me, for the moment."

"So you've finally accepted the fact that I'm not a raging psychopath who preys on young girls?"

Posey laughed, and she could feel Jude's chest hum with his own repressed chuckle.

"Until proven otherwise." She said with a smile. "I won't ask, anymore. It doesn't mean I don't want to know, but...You can tell me if you want to. But I won't ask anymore. I promise. Who you were doesn't matter to me. I just want to know who you are right now."

"What about your silly questions like favorite colors and such?"

"Oh, you're not off the hook for those." Said Posey at once. "Don't be absurd. That's part of who you are right now."

"Did you just call me a turd?" He asked incredulously, pulling back slightly and looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"No!" Said Posey, "I said don't be absurd."

"Egghead." He accused, but he drew her closer and Posey felt her heart race, but it was not at all an unpleasant feeling.

"Grease Monkey." She shot back, and Jude scowled.

"Keep calling me names and you're gonna be out of a Merc and a friend."

"Is that what we are? Friends?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," He said with a shrug, "damn good friends."

"Pretty damn good friends." Posey agreed with a wide grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty much self indulgent fluff with a little character backstory thrown in so I could actually justify posting it. So there you go. Also, if you don't know who this song is by, you should be ashamed of yourself. This song is where I got Jude's name, and it is so perfect for him it gives me quote unquote '"feels". So many feels. *insert Crowley gif FEELINGS here* I'm sorry if there's tons of mistakes, I just wanted to get something out to you guys before I head out of town for a couple of days. So, be gentle with me, darlings. Be gentle.


	16. First Day of My Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the first day of my life  
> Swear I was born right in the doorway  
> I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed  
> They're spreading blankets on the beach
> 
> Yours is the first face that I saw  
> I think I was blind before I met you  
> Now I don't know where I am  
> I don't know where I've been  
> But I know where I want to go
> 
> And so I thought I'd let you know  
> That these things take forever  
> I especially am slow
> 
> But I realize that I need you  
> And I wondered if I could come home

 

 

* * *

Jude

Jude had to admit, it wasn't a bad way to start the day. Sure, he felt like his head had been used as a Super Mutant's punching bag and he'd drank away much more of his caps than he'd intended to last night, but sitting on the flat roof of the Gift Shop entrance with Posey and a thermos full of crappy but at least piping hot coffee was decent enough compensation.

"Sunrises or sunsets?" Asked Posey, drawing her sleeves over her fingers and still looking up at the sky, entranced by the colors that would be gone as soon as the sun rose. They sat shoulder to shoulder, Posey's knees drawn up to her chest and tucked under her nightshirt, her bare feet just peeking out from the hem of it.

"Is there a difference?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Well sunsets I guess, so I don't have to wake up  _absurdly_  early."

Posey dropped her gaze long enough to stick her tongue out at him before her eyes flitted back up to the clouds.

She was quiet for so long, Jude thought perhaps she'd given up on her questions but, finally she asked, her voice low:

"What would you do, if things were different?" She looked down at him and in the odd half light of the sunrise, her eyes looked almost purple.

"Different how?" He asked warily, drawing one knee up and wrapping an arm around it while he cocked his head to the side. He didn't know if he wanted this question game to head this direction.  _Ifs_ generally haunted him more than he cared to think about.

"Like, different as in the war never happened." Explained Posey, tucking her tangled hair behind her ears. "Or if we were living in Pre-War times. What's something you've always wanted to do, but can't because of how the world is now?"

Jude pursed his lips in a slight frown and looked up at the clouds, "What would I do, Pre-War." He said, slowly drumming his fingers against his leg. "Well, for starters I'd take a shower, a real long, real hot one."

"Ha ha ha." Said Posey, elbowing him. "I mean like, life wise. What would you do for a career? Or for fun you know, something that's pretty much impossible now."

"I think that's pretty much impossible now, but..." He trailed off, looking up at the color show above them, which was already starting to fade, the brilliant pastels muting as they sat and the sun began to rise. "I think I'd like to go to the beach." He said at length, "Yeah, I'd want to go to the beach if we were Pre-War. I've seen ads for them, old travel agency brochures and postcards and stuff like that. They look, nice I guess."

"The beach, huh?" Asked Posey, grinning over at him. "You want to try surfing maybe? Catch some rays?"

"I don't know what any of those words mean, Blondie. I just like pictures of the beach." He said, letting his legs fall forward and hang off the edge.

"Because your favorite color is blue? Ocean blue?"

"Sure."

Posey laughed and Jude felt his lips twitch in a smile as they always seemed to do whenever he heard her laugh.

"What about you?" He asked, looking from the fading clouds to her. The collar on her night shirt was crooked, and Jude could see a hint of her scars from the Deathclaw, the angry puckered red skin barely visible. She'd been in the Wasteland a fraction of the time that he'd lived here, and already they had an almost even amount of scars. "What would you want to do?"

"I think I'd want a bookstore." Said Posey, resting her chin on her knees. "Or a bakery. Maybe both."

"What's a bakery?" Asked Jude with a frown.

"It's a place where people made bread and cakes and rolls and stuff. I had a book down in the vault,  _The Art of Baking_ , that was full of recipes I wished I could have tried. I also wish...I'd want to go to a dance."

Jude smiled and shook his head, looking out over the Wasteland, taking in the distant outline of Rivet City and other ruins, all cloaked in purple mist.

"You dance all over now," He said, "why would you need an excuse?"

"Well yeah but Pre-War dances," Posey smiled, soft and slow, almost nostalgic. "they were something else. The whole  _town_ would show up. People would get dressed up in their best, suits and dresses, gloves and pearls. And there would be live music! It was just... different. You'd get asked to the dance by someone, someone you liked preferably. And they might bring you flowers. Can you imagine? Real flowers?"

Jude smiled out at the Wastes before turning back to her, taking in her mussed hair, crooked collar, and slow smile, the dimple he'd only just recently noticed flashing in her cheek.

"The Wasteland could use more flowers." He said, and Posey's grin widened.

"You think?" She asked, and Jude nodded.

"Yeah, I do." He murmured, letting his eyes rove her face, taking in every sun soaked detail.

"I've got another question for you." She said quietly, and Jude waited. Posey looked up at him, a small smile curling up half of her mouth. "What's one thing that can always make you smile, no matter what?"

 

The obvious answer to that question sat mere inches away, but he refrained from voicing that opinion. Whatever this was that was cropping up between them, however it had started, he wasn't really sure, he didn't want to risk or rush it. So Jude thought for a moment, leaning back slightly and staring out over the horizon with a frown. He'd never really paid attention to how much he'd smiled before. He thought it couldn't have been very much. Seldom did he have things to smile about, until recently, anyway.

"Simple things." He said at last, "Quick and easy fixes to complicated problems. Or finding out what  _exactly_ is wrong with something."

"What about motorcycles?" Asked Posey, and Jude looked down at her in surprise.

"What about motorcycles?" 

"I know you like them." Said Posey with a shrug. "I saw the way you eyed that one in Rivet City, and the two back at Smith Casey's Garage."

"Well yeah, I think they're cool looking but so what? There's nothing to smile about a piece of broken down, centuries old junk."

"Sure there is." Said Posey bracingly. "It's not junk, it's...vintage."

Jude snorted, "Alright, my turn for a question." He said, raising a challenging eyebrow down at her. Posey grinned, mimicking his posture and expression.

"Do your worst." She taunted.

"Did you mean what you said, back at the Muddy Rudder? Are you happy?" He asked.

"I am." Said Posey without missing a beat. "I don't think I've ever been this happy before, actually. I'm ridiculously happy."

"You weren't happy down in the Vault?" He asked, making a show of looking incredulous. "Down with that dream boat Freddie and weekly dances?"

Posey rolled her eyes and gave his shoulder a shove, which made him smirk.

"Are  _you_  happy?" She challenged, looking up at him.

"Dunno." Said Jude honestly, with a shrug. "At the moment? Yeah, I'm pretty happy."

Posey smiled, "Good." She said simply.

* * *

May slipped past in a blur as Jude and Posey dove back into the work of Project Purity with renewed vigor. It was something Jude had never really experienced, being part of a team like this. When he was a Wasteland Warrior there had never really been a sense of comradery, at least one that extended to him. It was watch your back, fulfill your contracts, and leave everyone else alone. Now, despite hitting a new blockade at every turn, the team would bounce back again, even Daniel and Anna, who were the notorious 'grouches' as Posey called them. They would all rally together. Jude hesitated to say it but truly, he did think he might have finally have found that elusive thing, happiness. Which honestly scared him out of his wits. Being happy was one of the most terrifying things in the Wasteland. Once you're happy, somebody just has to come along and prove you wrong. 

And yet, he couldn't help it. Every morning, he and Posey would sit together in the pillared room, and eventually, James would actually take a break from pouring over old notes to join them and seeing the way that Posey would light up when he did, it was a challenge to keep the grin off his face. Comparing the Posey he'd met in Megaton to the one seated across from him now was like looking at a photo-negative and it's fully colored copy. She laughed easily, danced along to Galaxy News Radio, which she rarely had turned off on her Pip-Boy and worked tirelessly. Three Dog it seemed couldn't get enough of Posey either because every time Jude turned around he was spouting off some sort of praise or story about her and her father. A fact that Posey seemed somehow oblivious to and one that irritated Daniel beyond belief.

Jude could hear him now, huffing impatiently at the radio Jude had fixed in the pillared room while they tried to rebuild fuses. Posey had left with her father and it was just Daniel, Alex, and Jude, seated at the scrubbed wooden table, each with their own meager materials spread out in front of them, tinkering and experimenting with what scraps they had.

Jude looked over at Daniel who was scowling at the radio as Three Dog's voice crackled out of its tinny speakers:

" _People of the Capital Wasteland, you can HEAR MEEEE! Yeeeaa haaaa! You can't stop the signal, baby! That's right, from Megaton to Girdershade, Paradise Falls to the Republic of Dave, we are coming to you loud and proud, in a special live report!"_ Jude reached over and turned the volume dial up, ever so slightly, reigning in a smirk as Daniel glared at him. Jude didn't particularly care for Three Dog's showy act himself, but anything that pissed Daniel off was worth it in Jude's book.

" _But Three Dog!"_ Continued the radio. " _You're in that cool radio studio in D.C. How do YOU know I can hear you, all the way out here in the ass end of nowhere? Because of the kid from Vault 101, that's how! That gal actually managed to repair our antenna relay. How's that for ingenuity, folks? From here on in, it's bye-bye stupid static, hello magnificent music. So sit back, relax, and absorb these classic tunes. And kid, you get your ass back to GNR, you hear me? We've got some stuff to talk about!"_

"Oh please," Said Daniel, throwing down the wires he'd been fiddling with. "Do we have to listen to this shit? It's bad enough that bimbo's wandering around with it blasting from her wrist all the time."

Alex shot Jude a nervous look as Jude slowly looked up from his own half baked fuse.

"You got a problem, pal?" He asked, putting down the screwdriver he'd been working with and glaring over at him, carefully clenching his hands into loose but unmistakable fists.

"So what if I do?" Challenged Daniel, though his eyes darted nervously around.

"Then keep it to yourself, hot shot." Growled Jude, "Unless you don't like the way your teeth sit in your mouth."

"You really expect me to believe all this crap this, this  _Three Dog_ spouts about that girl?" Demanded Daniel, "That she fixed the bomb in Megaton? That she fixed the broadcast relay in D.C. which is swarming with Mutants? If she's so damn handy how come she's not here, helping us fix these fuses?"

"The real question is why aren't you shutting the hell up after what I just told you." Said Jude, his shoulders tensing up and jaw clenching while Alex sat, his eyes flitting from Jude to Daniel and back again.

"Since when are you in charge, tough guy?" Sneered Daniel, "I don't know what Doctor Li is thinking, letting someone like you try and help with a project like this. I don't know why  _we're_ helping on some half assed crack pot project like this!"

"You're either really brave or really stupid." Snarled Jude with a scowl, "Because if you had half a brain you would've shut your mouth about twenty seconds ago."

"What, you gonna fight me?" He taunted, "Doctor Li will kick your ass out on the curb,  _Merc_. Then who's gonna watch over that little Vaultie all hours of the day? You're the shittiest gun for hire I've ever met, all you care about is that bitch from the-"

But the rest of his sentence was cut off as Jude practically dived over the table, scattering wires and casings every which way as he tackled Daniel out of his seat.

"Guys!" Called Alex helplessly as Jude and Daniel rolled across the floor. "Guys cut it out!"

 

Jude had the clear upper hand but Daniel was a lot squirmier than he thought, and all the while Three Dog's gravely voice called: " _Grab your hankies, children, cause I've got a heart-warming tale to tell. It's about a little girl's search for her… for her daddy. Waaaahh!"_

"What the hell is going on here?" Asked a new voice, which Jude ignored completely, the radio drowning out Alex's meek explanation.

" _You see, the kid from Vault 101 has been looking for her dad, a very nice man named James, who left his daughter behind in the Vault when he took off. What kind of dad leaves his kid in an underground bunker? Children, I just don't know. It ain't for Three Dog to judge, and you shouldn't either. But none of that matters now! Father and daughter were spotted walkin' and talkin' together out there in the Wastes. Here's hoping they can hold onto each other this time around."_

Jude felt someone pull him back and Daniel scrambled away from him, nose bleeding copiously and one eye already blackening.

"Mr. Dargon, please turn that radio off."

The radio switched off and Jude saw James come around from where he'd been holding Jude back and help a shaking Daniel to his feet.

"Now," Said James scowling fiercely and looking from Jude to Daniel with a stormy expression. "I don't know what's gotten into the pair of you, you're grown men for heaven's sake! Mr. Hiller, I do believe there is a medical kit behind the counter in the gift shop if you would be so kind as to fetch it for Mr. Agincourt here."

Jude would  _not_ be so kind as to do that asshole any favors, but one more look from James and Jude stomped away from the room, giving Daniel a fierce glare while James instructed him where to pinch his nose to stop the blood from flowing.

Jude crouched down behind the counter, still glowering as he angrily pawed through the detritus that had sat for centuries on the dusty shelves that Posey had somehow missed in her original scrub down. He found the med kit stashed beside a large crumbling cardboard box labeled ' _Lost and Found'_ which fell to pieces as Jude roughly yanked the med kit free. He was about to get to his feet when he paused, looking at the remains of the box, and its contents. There was a pair of thick framed black glasses, a rusty set of keys and a leather wallet, but what interested him was something he could barely see peeking from the mouth of a backpack.

The book felt solid in his hands as he gently tugged it free from its canvas prison and looked it over, brushing off a thick layer of dust. He sat back on his heels and ran his fingers over the slightly raised title,  _To Kill a Mockingbird_. Surely, Posey couldn't have known this was here, or she'd have snapped it up in a heartbeat.

"Jude?"

Hastily, Jude shoved the book back into the pack and straightened up, seeing Posey, dressed in her armored Vault Suit, looking at him with raised eyebrows. "What are you doing back there?" She asked.

"N-nothing!" Said Jude quickly, "I mean, I'm getting a med kit, for your dad."

"Is something wrong?" Asked Posey, hastily stepping forward, "Is he-"

"He's alright," Interrupted Jude, "it's for that Agincourt guy."

"Oh," Said Posey, her shoulders visibly relaxing with relief. "what's wrong with him?"

"Um," Jude scrubbed at the back of his neck, feeling his cheeks grow warm. "He uh, he's got a bloody nose."

"Oh?" Drawled Posey, crossing her arms and arching a brow. "And how did he come down with that?"

"Completely spontaneous." Said Jude hastily, "You know how this dry, Wasteland air is. Really shrivels you up."

Posey looked unconvinced and Jude surreptitiously pushed the backpack further back onto the shelf with his foot.

"What's up with you?" He asked, "Why do you have your armored suit on?"

"I've got to head into Rivet City," She said, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "Supply run. I was just wondering if you wanted to come. You're better at bartering than me."

"Sure," Said Jude, "I'll come...Just give me a sec."

"You find any good loot back there?" She asked, stepping closer, "I didn't even think to check."

"No!" Cried Jude, hurrying around the counter to block her progress. "Just junk!"

"What's gotten into you?" Asked Posey incredulously, looking up at him in surprise and folding her arms across her chest.

"What're you talking about?" He said gruffly. "Nothing's gotten into me. Let's go."

"But-"

"Do you want my help or not?"

"Yes!" Exclaimed Posey, exasperated. "Jeez, you're really one one today." She muttered with a scowl.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Said Jude, looking the picture of innocence, or at least he hoped so. "Let me go give this to your dad and I'll meet you outside."

"Alright, alright." Grumbled Posey, turning and heading towards the exit. "Bossypants."

 

Once she was gone, Jude hurried back to the pillared room, holding aloft the medical kit, which James accepted, pulling it open and retrieving the cold pack that was activated by cracking it and mixing two no doubt highly toxic chemicals together inside of its thin plastic casing, which then he held out to Daniel who pressed it against his eye, glaring balefully at Jude, who scowled right back. He hoped the stupid pack leaked onto his stupid face.

"Now," Said James, still looking angry. "I don't know what stirred you to such ridiculous actions, but-"

"Gotta run, Doc." Said Jude, turning on his heel. "I'll catch you later."

"Mr. Hiller!" Protested James but Jude slipped out of the pillared room and hurried to collect his shotgun and meet Posey outside. She was standing with her arms still crossed looking suspiciously up at him as he approached, hefting his shotgun up into his arms.

"Ready?" He asked, brushing back his hair that had flopped into his eyes. Really, it was probably time to buzz it all off again.

"Whenever you are." She said, still frowning.

"Let's get a move on, then. Shall we?" He asked, gesturing for her to go first, and Posey did so, still with narrowed eyes. "What stuff do we need in Rivet City?" He asked, following after her.

"Food and water mostly." She said, "I've got a list of odds and ends from my dad, and he gave me some caps for that. I've got some of my own caps that I want to see if I can't find something else to wear besides this filthy armored suit and Vault 101 suits."

"Well, Bannon's gonna charge you an arm and a leg. Just so you know." Said Jude and Posey smirked,

"So you think," She said, tossing back her hair, which now that Jude noticed, it did look much smoother today. "but we'll see."

"Oh no." Said Jude shaking his head. "Please, Blondie, please tell me you did  _not_ do your hair so Bannon will give you a discount on, what was it? A lovely satin...something?"

"It was chiffon, just so  _you_  know." Said Posey haughtily. "And I don't want a chiffon...whatever he had in mind. I just want something different than what I've been wearing for the past nineteen years."

"This isn't going to end well." Said Jude shaking his head.

 

The Rivet City market was crowded today, and while Jude haggled and heckled his way through Posey's list, Posey stood in front of Bannon, shamelessly flirting up a storm and it was all Jude could do to keep himself from punching the nearest passerby as he heard a completely ridiculous  _giggle_ slip from Posey's lips for the third time in two minutes. Bannon had his best wares spread out, and as Jude approached, he was holding up a sky blue fluffy looking thing with a rather plunging neckline and saying in his smarmy way. "I do think you would look ravishing in this, my dear. Would you like to try it on?"

_Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?_ Thought Jude, scowling darkly.

"I think that's a bit formal for my taste." Said Posey, smiling delicately. "I just need something, simple. Something like," She brightened and stepped past Bannon into his shop, reaching behind a rack of threadbare and faded dresses, "this!" She said brightly, holding up a simple, sleeveless dress. Jude didn't know a  _thing_ about dresses, other than the fact they were not pants and had to be ridiculously impractical to run in, but Posey was looking at it like it was the Holy Grail. The only thing that stood out to him was the fact that it was the exact shade of pink that the clouds had been the day he'd woken her up after their fight.

"Oh, that old thing?" Said Bannon with a frown. "It's barely holding together, I was going to have it cut up and refashioned."

"Then you won't want much for it then, will you." Said Posey with a charming smile. "I'll give you twenty caps."

"I-" Protested Bannon.

"Perfect." Said Posey brightly, tossing over a small sack of caps, which Bannon fumbled to catch.

"But-" He called but Posey hurried out of his shop, folding the dress over her shoulder and saying cheerily over her shoulder.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Bannon!"

She hurried away before Bannon could respond and Jude followed after her, shaking his head and smiling.

"That was excellently handled, Blondie." Said Jude with a smirk. "I'll have to try that tactic sometime, run off before they can charge you anything else."

Posey tucked her dress into the mouth of the canvas sack full of the supplies they'd gotten, struggling to hold back a smile.

"I don't think I'll be welcomed back to Potomac attire anytime soon." Said Posey, "But that's no loss."

"Definitely not." Agreed Jude as they stepped out of Rivet City and onto the metal walkway. "You sure you don't want to give that fluffy, frilly thing a try?"

"Not exactly my style." Said Posey, "I think the neckline would've gone down to my belly button."

"That's probably why Bannon wanted you to try it on." Said Jude with a scowl. "You really should have just shot him the second you saw him."

"That might have  _slightly_  tarnished the reputation of my dad's project." Said Posey lightly. "We can't really advocate that we're trying to better the Wasteland if we shoot whatever annoys us."

"So you really think this idea of your dad's will work?" Asked Jude, looking down at her, "I mean, it's a great idea and everything, but it seems almost too incredible."

Posey didn't speak for a moment, she simply looked out over the Wasteland, pursing her lips slightly, thinking.

"Yeah, I think it will work." Said Posey at last, looking up at him. "I think  _he_ thinks it will work, so...yeah. My dad will make it work."

"But-"

"He's just about as stubborn as you are, he wouldn't have left the Vault if he didn't think he could make this work."

"The whole Potomac though? I dunno Blondie, I'm no egghead but it seems too good to be true."

"Lots of things start out like that," Said Posey with a smile. "There are plenty of miraculous, seemingly impossible things that never would have happened if someone didn't find them and stick to their guns no matter what. A project is only as powerful as its people are dedicated. And Project Purity has some seriously dedicated people."

Jude looked down at her, shaking his head in disbelief and a small smile twisting his lips.

"What?" She demanded, scowling up at him. "Why are you shaking your head at me like that?"

"Nothing," Said Jude, shaking his head again, still smiling. "it's just, you really are something, Blondie. That's all."

"You've said that before." She said, arching a brow. "But you never seem to decide if it's a good something or a bad something."

"I guess you'll just have to-"

 

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

Jude and Posey froze. They'd just made it to the road, and started passing the ruins when a man, dressed in a black suit with a ridiculous hat resting on his greasy hair stepped around from a rusted car and into the path ahead of them.

"If it isn't the kid from the Vault." Drawled the man, tucking his hands into his suit pockets. "The  _Lone Wanderer_ , isn't that what they call you these days, sweetheart?"

Jude looked quickly over his shoulder and saw three more suited men emerging from the ruins around them, forming a loose circle around the two of them. His grip tightened on the sack in his hands, his shotgun slung over his shoulder out of reach.

"This doesn't have to get ugly, doll." Said the man in front of them, "Just come along with us, and nobody needs to get hurt."

Jude looked back at the three behind them and saw the largest man slip a pair of brass knuckles over his meaty fingers. The other two smacked their palms with Police Batons and Jude smirked. They were going to try and go  _old school_?

_Good luck, fellas._  He thought, looking down at Posey. She had her eyes trained on the man in front of them, a scowl set on her lips and her eyes narrowed and calculating.

"And where would we be going?" Asked Posey.

"For a little walk," Said the man with a smirk, "a little walk on over to Tenpenny Tower."

Jude felt Posey stiffen next to him, and her knuckles turned white on the handle of her pistol.

"Oh, I wouldn't try that." Said the man lightly, nodding at her gun. "Don't want things to end bloody, now do we? We've been told to mind that pretty face of yours."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Said Posey tightly, not moving her hand. "Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to take that little walk alone because I'm not going anywhere with you. Take a hike, pal."

The man glowered, "Watch it, doll." He said, his voice low. "I don't take sass, especially from little bitches like you."

"And I don't take half baked threats from misogynistic assholes like you." Snarled Posey. "So you can walk away now as you are now, or with a couple more holes in you than you'd like."

 

Jude had been glancing back at the three behind them while Posey and the front man had been bickering, specifically the beefy one in the middle. There was something about him, his large crooked nose with a thick gnarled scar across the bridge that was horribly familiar. These were obviously Mister Burke's men, but they couldn't be the  _same_ ones he'd run into almost a decade ago, back in the Muddy Rudder, the ones who'd taken Sal Hiller away, never to be seen again. Could they?

"Keep staring, Bucko and see where it gets you." Growled the man, running his thumb over his brass knuckles.

Jude's blood ran cold, and he suddenly felt seventeen years old again, hearing that voice grumble,

" _Finish the kid, we don't have time for this."_

He pounced before he really had thought through what he was doing, tackling the man flat sending them both rolling flat to the ground over the gravel. Ignoring the shotgun banging against his back, Jude drove his fist into the man's face, his mind a blank expanse of pure rage, but the man was stronger than Jude anticipated and he threw him off before he could get another hit in. Jude's back crashed into the rusted car the first man had come out behind, knocking the wind out of him while he heard Posey's anguished cry of:

"Jude!"

Jude felt himself being lifted by the collar of his armor, pulling him up and slamming his head back down on the edge of the car's fender. His head swam, his vision blurred and he struggled to haul himself up to his elbows, and scramble to his feet as he felt more hands wrench him up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Posey trying to dive forward, but the front man caught her tight, yanking her back.

"Hold it, sugar." He said, his lips twisting in a smirk. "I wanna see how long your boyfriend lasts against the three stooges."

She fought back, viciously driving elbows into ribs and knees into guts, but Jude didn't have time to see what happened next, as he ducked a swinging baton, and turned back to the three in front of him. He hadn't been able to do anything all those years ago. He'd been a scrawny teenager with not enough mileage and not enough muscle, but now...Now he was gonna give these bastards a run for their money.

 

It was ugly. Jude fought dirtier than he had in a long time, his blood roaring in his ears, and some streaming into his eye from his temple, where it had been split open, barely drowning out the sounds of Posey and the others fighting and he didn't notice or care who was in front of him, receiving his blows, and he hardly felt the ones he got in return. Blood obscured his vision and he heard a sharp cry and the first man called out angrily,

"Damnit girlie, the boss didn't want anything happening to your face!"

Jude tried to turn back to Posey, but he froze as the beefy man leered down at him, twirling a knife between his fingers. Jude's gun had fallen into the dirt and was no doubt damaged from being both dropped and kicked aside, and his own knife was back at the memorial, as opposed to strapped to the back of his belt like usual. This was supposed to be a simple supply run. He hadn't counted on getting into a brawl with the man who'd taken his father from him seven years ago.

"Game's up, pretty boy." He growled, spitting out a mouthful of blood at Jude's face. Jude stepped back, his head reeling, blinded by blood and the numerous injuries he'd received from the three stooges, as the first man had called them, pulsing. He cursed himself for his rashness. If he died and these bastards took Posey to Mister Burke... No, he wouldn't let that happen. He refused to even accept that as an option. He stooped down and picked up the closest thing he had to a weapon. A rock, about the size of his fist, and he gripped it tight. He heard a slight scuffle behind him and there was a sudden crack of gunfire. Jude felt his heart leap into his throat and he whirled around. Posey stood with her feet planted firmly, her pistol raised, blood pouring from her nose. He turned back around just in time to see the beefy man fall thunderously forward, his hulking mass crumpling forward, a round bullet hole in his forehead, and much of the back of his skull missing.

"Hands where I can see them." Snarled Posey blood flowing over her lips and teeth, and the remaining two goons slowly put their hands up. The man in the hat lay flat on his back behind her, but he started to stir, and Jude saw a bright flash of silver before he leaped forward, shoving Posey aside and for the third time that afternoon, tackling someone without pausing to think.

_Really that's probably a record for me._ He thought.

Jude's head was  _pounding_  and he felt that perhaps this time, he really had been concussed, as he wrestled for the man's obscenely bright pistol. He heard two more gunshots and looked over his shoulder, panic building in his throat but once again, Posey was unscathed, and the two men dropped, their own firearms still held in their lifeless fingers.

Jude felt a blindingly painful crack, and let out an involuntary cry. He felt like his head had been split open. He was hoisted to his feet and felt something cold and metal under his chin.

"Drop the gun, girlie, or I'll shoot."

Through streaming eyes, Jude saw Posey slowly hold up her hands and drop her pistol into the dirt next to her, glowering the whole time at the thug behind him. Jude felt the gun removed from under his chin and the man spat out, now pointing his gun at her,

"Bad move, Blondie. You've made a mess out of what was supposed to be a clean deal, and when you do something like that-"

Jude threw his shoulder into the man's chest and with all his might, hurled him over his shoulder. The man slammed into the ground, his hat crumpling beneath his head and Jude quickly stomped hard down on his gun arm.

"Only he gets to call me that." Said Posey, strolling forward and picking up his gun, looking over it appreciatively before pointing it right between the man's eyes. "Now, just so we're both on the same page, who sent you?"

The man spat up at Posey, but she didn't flinch. Instead she just gave Jude a knowing look. Jude shrugged, reached down and yanked the man's arm up while simultaneously pushing down hard and all three of them heard the sharp snap of his bone cracking while the man howled.

"Are you feeling talkative yet?" Asked Posey, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Go to hell." Seethed the man, his eyes wild with rage, slicked back hair rumpled and covered in dust.

"I'm sure I will eventually," Said Posey with a shrug, "especially after this."

 

She placed the man's own gun against his forehead, pulled back the hammer and rested her finger on the trigger before the man called,

"Wait! Wait a minute!"

"Get chatting." Said Posey, not removing the gun, or her finger from the trigger.

"You have to know who sent me, you have to have guessed already." Said the man, wetting his lips nervously.

"Why don't you enlighten me, just to be sure." Said Posey coldly. "I'd hate to send a strongly worded letter to the wrong person."

"Burke." Spluttered out the man. "Burke, from Tenpenny Tower."

Though Jude had already known who the culprit was, it didn't stop the rush of anger at the sight of Posey's eyes growing slightly wider, and the grip on the gun tightening so that her knuckles turned white.

"That wasn't so bad, was it." Said Posey lightly, though she looked shaken. "Come on," She said, addressing Jude. "we'd better let this guy go and tell his boss that we're dead. You be sure to include how much of a fight we put up."

"You think I'm going to be the end of this?" Asked the man with a laugh. "Oh honey, Mister Burke gets what he wants, and nothing stands in his way."

"Sorry to disappoint." Said Posey snidely, and she kicked her foot out so quickly and so fiercely the man's head snapped to the right, and he didn't stir. Jude could see his chest rising and falling but he'd been knocked out cold. Posey reached down and searched his pockets, finding a sizable bag of caps and fancy engraved lighter. She took both and Jude searched the others, and picked up both his sack and his shotgun, which was in need of some repair after the spill it took.

The two of them walked in silence back to the memorial, Posey looked drawn and pale. Jude's head ached and his vision spun, causing him to stumble and Posey steadied him, pausing in her stride as he swayed unsteadily on the spot. He could feel the places where the batons had struck him ache, and his ribs felt splintered, every breath labored and painful. He'd received a thorough beating, his first in a while.

"We shouldn't have let him go, Blondie." He said, wincing at a stab of pain through his skull. "He's right, there's bound to be more where he came from."

" _You_ shouldn't have tried to take on three thugs like that." Chided Posey. "Or at least you could have warned me about some sort of plan. I can't fight hand to hand like that Jude, I have no idea how, and I couldn't get to my pistol. What were you thinking? You could have been killed!"

"I was thinking about how that bastard was the one who drug my dad off after they beat him senseless." Said Jude, trying to sound indignant, but flinching at the stabbing pain in his chest. Posey's nose was still trickling, and her lip looked split and swollen. Her face was a mess of blood, but she didn't seem to care that it dribbled off her chin and soaked the front of her jumpsuit as she looked up at him, her eyes still bright and sharp.

"And you getting beat senseless, how was that suppose to help?" She asked quietly, her teeth stained red.

"I didn't think," Said Jude, "I just... jumped." In truth, Jude didn't know why he'd did what he'd did. Sal Hiller had been a bastard. He wanted nothing to do with Jude, he'd never shown much fatherly affection, never. Even before he'd left. So why he'd flung himself at his worthless excuse for a father's attacker was a mystery even to him.

Posey sighed and let her head fall forward, resting her forehead against his chest, clearly spent.

"Even if we'd killed him." She said dully, her arms hanging limply at her side, "Burke will still send more, like he said. What am I supposed to do? March into Tenpenny Tower and kill Burke myself?"

"If you do, wait till my head stops spinning." Said Jude, looking down at her and placing a tentative hand against his head. "I want to come too. Burke never paid me after he lost that poker game."

Posey laughed, lifting her head and smiling up at him, though the usually charming effect was somewhat diminished by the gore smeared across her teeth.

"Come on," Said Posey, slipping her arm around his waist. "we'd better get you back to my dad. I think you're-"

"Concussed." Finished Jude wearily, allowing her to steady him as they walked. "Yeah, me too."

"Just try not to throw up on me." She said, drawing his arm up around her shoulder.

"Hey, what's the date today?" He asked as they walked, or rather, hobbled.

"June seventeenth. Why? You got someplace to be that I don't know about?" She teased,

"Maybe." Said Jude with a scowl, bringing up his hand and prodding his own swollen lip tentatively. "Maybe I'm gonna go find me some other dame to hang around, one who doesn't have a bunch of thugs after her."

"So I'm a dame now, huh?" She asked, grinning up at him as the memorial building came into view.

"Yeah, a troublesome one." Said Jude, wincing as the ache in his head peaked,

"Come on," Said Posey worriedly, "my dad can check on your head, see if you're really concussed."

"Well it hurts like a bitch, I'll tell you that." Groaned Jude as Posey kicked open the door with her foot.

 

Luckily, James was coming up the corridor, looking down at a clipboard and calling:

"Ah, perfect timing you two, we just need-" He looked up, smiling. His smile quickly turned into an expression of horror and he rushed forward, dropping his clipboard which clattered against the tile. "What happened?! Posey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Said Posey brightly, although with her face smeared in blood contradicted that statement. "We just ran into some, um..."

"Contracted killers." Said Jude flatly. "Your daughter has a bounty on her head. I'm  _not_ fine, thanks for asking."

"A  _bounty_!" Cried James aghast, ignoring Jude. "But, Posey, why-" He seemed utterly at a loss for words. "What on  _earth_ could you have done to... How do you always manage to get yourself into trouble!"

"It's not my fault!" Protested Posey with a scowl, a truly horrific sight considering her condition. "I disarmed the bomb in Megaton instead of blowing it up, sue me."

James gaped at her, looking in disbelief at his daughter. "You, you what?" He croaked.

"Haven't you been listening to that radio that's always blaring in this place?" Asked Jude, wishing this conversation would hurry along so he could get his splitting head sorted out. "Three Dog's mentioned it before."

"He has?" Asked both Posey and James in shock, and Jude rolled his eyes,

"Oh, for crying out loud!" He growled in exasperation. "Yes! He has!"

James turned back to Posey with wide eyes, and this time, he could see them shining with admiration.

"Really?" He asked, "You really disarmed that bomb?"

Jude gently disentangled himself from Posey and started off down the hall.

"Once your touching moment is over, come patch up my head will you, Doc?" Called Jude grumpily, but James either did not hear or chose to ignore him, and Jude cast a look over his shoulder before ducking into the gift shop and reaching back to where he'd stashed the backpack with the book inside. Once he had it, despite his pounding head, he straightened up, glancing around at the gift shop, his eyes alighting on an old stand with stacks of newspapers. He pulled one free, and after making sure no one was around, hastily wrapped the book up in the newspaper, tucking the ends into each other.

_June seventeenth_ , he thought. That was a little under a month until Posey's birthday. He smiled to himself as he dropped the canvas sack full of supplies onto the table in the pillared room and continued down to the bunk room, carefully tucking the newspaper wrapped package into his pack that was stuffed into a foot locker at the end of his bed. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he gave it to her. If she got excited about a bomb manual, what would she think about an actual novel? 

_To Kill a Mockingbird._

At least he assumed it was a novel and not an instructional on how to kill birds. But, either way, he was sure Posey would like it.

* * *

Posey

Posey watched Jude go nervously, hoping he wouldn't stumble and smack his head  _again_  for the third time that day. That couldn't be good for his mental state.

"You really disarmed the bomb?" Asked her father, and Posey looked back at him and nodded, flushing at the unabashed adoration on his face. "But, how-"

"That book, Jonas had," Said Posey, " _Duck and Cover Extended Edition_. I found a copy in the Museum of Technology, and it taught me how. Really it wasn't that big of a deal." She insisted.

"Wasn't a big deal?" Exclaimed James in bewilderment, "Posey! You saved an entire town! That's amazing!"

"I just read the directions." Mumbled Posey, blushing and looking down. "It's what you would have done if you'd had the time."

"Posey," he said warmly, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I could have made time to help Megaton. But I was so caught up in Project Purity that I never even thought about it."

"Well Project Purity is important, and-"

"You had your own aims, Posey." Insisted her father, looking down at her with a firm gaze. "I'm not saying that finding me was anywhere near as important as Project Purity, but you put that aside to help a town full of people you barely knew. Even if it was dangerous for you, you did it. Even if it put you behind on your own goals. That's something I've never done, Posey. That's amazing." He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. "You're a good person, and it shows. " he murmured, "Your mother would have been so  _proud_ of the woman you've become, sweetie. I can't begin to tell you."

Posey dropped her gaze, biting the inside of her blushing cheek.

"Thanks, Dad." She said, at last, looking up at him with a smile. "Although I don't know if Mom would have been proud of the fact that I've got a maniac on my trail now."

"Great deeds come with great sacrifices." Said James, "Don't worry, Posey. We can handle whatever comes our way. Come on, let's go get you cleaned up."

"We should find Jude first, he's the one who's really taken a beating." Said Posey nervously. "We got jumped on our way back from Rivet City. Luckily for us, I guess, they seemed a lot more interested giving Jude an old fashioned beating rather than just a straight up bullet to the brain."

"And what about you? Are you hurt?" Asked her father, eyeing her nose critically. "It doesn't look broken, but you can't be sure..."

"I'm fine." Said Posey shaking her head. "They were trying to take me alive, back to Tenpenny Tower."

"What business would you have at Tenpenny Tower?" Asked James with a frown. Posey raised an eyebrow,

"Remember how I disarmed the bomb in Megaton? That made me a few enemies. Mostly Burke."

"He's still around stirring up trouble?" Bristled James, scowling. "Truly a despicable man. Well, I won't pretend that's not troublesome news, darling. He's a very powerful man."

"I know. Jude has told me. Many times." Posey blew a lock of hair, matted with blood and dirt, out of her face. Really, she'd just washed it that morning. What an untimely attack by ruthless thugs. "You're taking this awfully well." She continued as she and her father entered the pillared room and saw Jude, free of his usual leather armor, wearing his dingy white tee shirt and worn jeans, seated on a chair and looking exhausted.

"I thought you'd be giving me a lecture or possibly having a heart attack at the fact that I have Mister Burke on my tail."

"Oh, I'm sure the news will sink in more fully in time." Said James, retrieving his medical kit and laying out his supplies on the table. "I'll probably have a melt down about it later, but for right now we'll see about Mr. Hiller."

Posey cleaned herself up as best as she could while her father administered a stimpack or two, proclaiming that he had actually  _not_ been concussed but had severe bruising to his ribs but luckily nothing was broken, and the best thing he could do for himself would be to get some rest.

"I'm going to go inform Madison of this latest development." Said James. "The whole team is going to be staying here for dinner tonight. We're having a bit of a celebration." He finished with a small smile.

"What for?" Asked Posey, frowning slightly. "' _You've been officially marked by the Wasteland Mafia, congratulations_!'"

"No," Said James, giving Posey a withering look. "Today marks the day that Project Purity first began, all those years ago. It's not much, but we can all have dinner as a team."

"Fair enough." Agreed Posey. "I'll finish patching Jude up, you can go tell Doctor Li what's up."

"I'll be right back." Promised her father, getting to his feet. While he disappeared into the Rotunda, Posey sat up on the table in front of Jude. She noted with a smile that this was one of the few times she had actually seen the top of Jude's head as he leaned back in his chair, his eyelids already drooping.

"Just a second." Said Posey, grabbing a clean rag and wetting it, carefully dabbing at the many areas marred by dried blood on his face. "Stay awake for just a second, then you can go down and go to sleep."

"You might have to carry me down there, stimpacks always knock me out." He said wearily, sitting up laboriously. "Or else let me crash here at the table."

"How about on the couch?" Offered Posey with a smile, watching as his freckles slowly came back into view under the crusted blood and dirt. "I sincerely doubt I could carry you. Especially if you pass out and it's dead weight."

"Is that a fat joke?" He asked, his eyelids fluttering slightly as he forced them to remain open and trained on her as she set aside the now filthy cloth and started cleaning the myriad of small scrapes and bruises, and carefully applying butterfly bandages to his forehead, where he'd split it open on the car.

"It's a 'You-are-seven-inches-taller-than-me' joke." She said. "Maybe more than seven. I don't exactly have an accurate way to measure. How tall are you exactly?"

"How would I know?" He asked, raising his eyebrows slightly, then wincing.

"We should measure you." Said Posey, wadding up the spent bandages and looking down at him critically. "For scientific purposes. And because I'm curious."

"You're always curious." He murmured, leaning back against the chair and letting his eyes drift shut. He was quiet for so long that Posey thought perhaps he really had passed out but he finally asked:

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" She asked, lobbing the used medical supplies into the trash bin near the door.

"That only I get to call you Blondie?"

Posey smiled and looked down at her hands clasped in her lap, "Well," She said slowly, "I certainly didn't want that jerk calling me that. It was degrading."

"But what about when I call you that? Is it degrading then?"

"Depends." Said Posey, moving her gaze to Jude, who still had his eyes closed. "It seems to be getting less and less so lately."

"Hmmm." Hummed Jude sleepily. "Hey, when did you say your birthday was?"

"July thirteenth. Why?"

"It's coming up pretty quick." He finally opened his eyes a fraction and Posey had to force herself not to blush. Sleepy Jude was a sort of Jude that she should not be trusted around. When his jaw went slack and blended into his neck and his lips looked soft and his eyelashes fluttered, thick and dark.

"Yep." She said, looking down at him. "The big Two Oh, as it were. What were you doing when you were twenty?"

"Scavenging." He said, "And working for Walter in Megaton. You know what I'd like to do right now?"

"What?" She asked as he sat up with a groan, looking up at her with narrowed eyes.

"Go to sleep." He said with an enormous yawn. "Where's that couch?"

"The same place it's always been." Said Posey with a smile, hopping down off the table and helping Jude to his feet. She took his hand and guided him over to the dusty couch which he sank onto with a grateful sigh. Posey turned to leave but Jude caught her wrist, murmuring "Hey, wait a minute."

Posey paused, looking down at him, feeling her heart begin to pound and her toes curl in her boots.

"What is it?" She asked as Jude struggled to keep her in focus.

"You kind of saved my skin back there." He said, "Really. You kicked ass back there."

"Not really." She said, turning to face him completely and tucking her hair behind her ear. "That guy in the fedora had me pretty well pinned. He had a really beautiful gun though." She said, "Very bright, ivory grip, lots of embellishments. I'll show it to you when you're not a danger to yourself or others."

"You sayin' I'm dangerous, Blondie?" He asked with a lopsided smile, and Posey felt goosebumps pepper her skin as he slid his fingers from her wrist to her hand, his calloused fingers brushing over her crescent shaped scars and gently running his thumb over the back of her hand. "You've got nice hands." He murmured, letting his slightly unfocused gaze drift down to their interlocked fingers. "Kinda small though, aren't they?"

"Only compared to some." She said, "You should get to sleep."

"'Kay."

But he didn't let go of her hand, just kept staring at it, blinking languidly. "'Ya know," he said slowly. "I really like you, Blondie."

"I like you too, Jude." She said with a smile. "Now go to sleep."

"I like you when you're wearing that silly jacket, and when your hair is messy, and even those vault suits look good on you." He murmured, still running his thumb methodically over the back of her hand. "You don't need a fancy dress from Bannon. You look nice, all the time. Even when you're covered in blood and have a fat lip."

"Thank you." She said, feeling decidedly flushed. "But I like the dress I picked out."

"I'm just sayin'." He said blearily. "Twenty caps, Blondie? Think what that could've bought."

"A nice dress." Said Posey with a slight frown. "Now go to sleep."

"Do you remember that Cinderella story you told me?" He asked, and Posey nodded.

"Of course I remember that story. I told you it was my favorite as a kid."

"Do you think that it really happened? Not with fairy godmothers and pumpkins turning into cars but a prince marrying a girl in rags?"

"I don't know." Said Posey, "I don't know much about monarchies, but it doesn't seem very likely. It's a nice story though, isn't it?"

"It's a silly story." He muttered, frowning deeply.

"It's a story about love conquering all." She countered. "I think it's nice. It's a lie, but it's a pretty damn beautiful one." She gently tugged her hand free. "Now, you go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

She turned and started to walk back towards the Rotunda when Jude called,

"How do you know it's a lie?"

She paused, looking back at him over her shoulder. His eyes were glossed over and his hand sat limply on the couch next to him, palm up, fingers still curled like they were still holding her own.

"I guess I don't." She said softly. "Sleep well, Jude." She flashed a smile at him before turning and hurrying down the stairs to the bunk room.

* * *

Jude

Jude did feel better when he woke up. His memories of the time right before he'd fallen asleep were a bit muddled, but he did feel miraculously better. He remembered fighting unconsciousness, and how nice it had felt to hold Posey's hand. He also remembered talking quite a bit about Cinderella, but the specifics of that were blurry. He lay for a moment, struggling to blink sleep from his eyes, waiting for them to focus. There was a rustle of activity around the table, at the other end of the room and Jude eventually pushed himself up into a sitting position, squinting over at the blurry shapes darting about the table.

He must have been asleep for several hours, because the pain in his chest and head had diminished significantly to a dull ache. He sat up and made his clumsy way to the buildings bathroom, splashing his itchy eyes with cold water, heedless of the minimal amounts of radiation sinking into his skin. That woke him up considerably, and he ran his fingers through his hair, attempting to at least tame in part the wild waves his hair was prone to when it was longer. Feeling at least a  _little_ better suited to face the world, he left the bathroom, entering the pillared room in a much more conscious state than when he'd left it.

James and Janice were setting the table, the repaired radio filling the room with its soft music while they laid out mismatched and often cracked crockery around two different pots, one of which had Blamco Mac and Cheese, and the other seemed to have a batch of Squirrel Stew from Gary's Galley.

"Oh, I'm glad to see you're among the living again, Mr. Hiller." Called James brightly, "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Said Jude, stepping closer. "Not a bad set up. Where's everyone else?"

"They're coming." Said Janice, brushing down her skirt. She'd abandoned her usual lab coat, as had James and Doctor Li Jude noted, as she entered, followed by the rest of her team, who were all dressed in what constituted as nice by Wasteland standards. Which was just to say no lab coats and no fresh bloodstains. Jude felt positively grubby in comparison. He should have retrieved his only spare shirt before everyone had come in.

"You  _are_  alive." Called a chipper voice, and Jude turned and saw Posey emerging from the door to the basement. "You had me worried there for a moment, you are a  _very_ deep sleeper." Jude stared at her while his brain frantically tried to form coherent thought, but all he managed was a weak,

"Uh huh."

Posey smiled up at him and her skirt rustled as she stepped past him, heading towards the table. Jude watched her pass with a slack jaw. He didn't know what Bannon had been thinking, saying that fluffy blue thing would have suited her. He couldn't imagine anything being as fit for Posey as the dress she'd chosen. The top was form fitting with a high neck, though her scars were still visible, and the waist gathered and the full skirt fell gracefully to Posey's knees. Her hair was partially held back with a faded blue ribbon, the ends of which flowed into the rest of her blonde waves. She still wore her black vault boots and her legs were significantly paler than her arms, and even her arms weren't as tan as her face and neck, but Jude hardly noticed.

"I've got some pretty funky tan lines, huh?" She said, looking down at her hands with a smile. "Maybe I should go sunning in this. I'll have to wear gloves though, so my hands don't get any darker. But, what do you think?" She spun and her skirt swished around her legs. "It's amazing what twenty caps will do for a girl, huh?" She asked with a smile.

"I still think you overpaid." He said at last and Posey rolled her eyes.

"You're such a cheapskate." She said, flouncing past him and taking a seat between Janice and her father. Jude sat opposite her, between Garza and Doctor Li. He noted Daniel's blackened eye and petulant look with a slight smirk, although he himself sported much darker and unflattering discoloration he was sure.

"Thank you, James, for planning this." Said Doctor Li while everyone served up their choice between dishes. "It really is nice to have a chance to look back on how far we've come."

"I agree." Said James, "Thank you for attending. It isn't much, but it beats the party of '37. Do you remember-"

"Oh don't remind me." Groaned Doctor Li, and Posey looked up at her father with a twinkle in her eye.

"What happened?" She asked, looking from her father back to Doctor Li.

"Well, your father had planned a little 'cocktail' party." Said Doctor Li witheringly, "It was mostly a few dusty bottles of awful wine and some potentially hazardous moonshine but it was all we had. He and Catherine had planned it to announce their engagement, but everyone was so  _drunk_ , no one believed them."

"We were young," Said James waving an airy hand. "And there was much too much booze around, I don't know what we thought was going to happen."

"It culminated with an all out brawl between two Brotherhood of Steel Paladins who were there to aid us in the event of a Super Mutant attack." Continued Doctor Li, shaking her head. "And a competition of who could do the best Dick Richardson impression."

"Dick Richardson?" Asked Posey, tilting her head. "Who's that?"

"President Dick Richardson," Elaborated James, "The president of the Enclave at the time."

"What's the Enclave?"

"A bunch of whack jobs in Power Armor." Said Jude, "They're even crazier than those Brotherhood bozos."

"You've called them that before," Said Posey narrowing her eyes, "Are you aware that you're a fan of alliteration?"

"Seeing as I don't know what alliteration is, I'm going to say no." Said Jude, taking a generous spoonful of stew into his mouth.

"Anyway," Said James with a smile, "it was a bad idea, everyone was too hungover to work the next day, and the memorial building was in a state of disaster, honestly not much better than when we first arrived here back in April."

"Not to mention," Said Doctor Li, arching a brow and smiling almost mischievously at James. "Your father and mother had  _disappeared_ half way through the party."

"Now now, Madison." Said James, and Jude was shocked to see the man blushing. "No need to delve into  _that_  part of the story too deeply."

Posey looked both mortified and amused, stifling a laugh behind her hand, though her own cheeks were pinker than her dress.

"That's a lovely dress, Posey." Said Janice, quickly changing the subject, though she wore a small smile herself. "Where did you find it?"

"Oh this old thing," Said Posey raising a cocky eyebrow at Jude. "I got a strong armed discount from Bannon. Twenty caps."

"Oo," Said Janice appreciatively, "that's quite a bargain."

Posey shot Jude a triumphant look, and Jude rolled his eyes.

 

As dinner progressed, and the room was filled with the sounds of clinking cutlery and laughter, Jude found himself smiling and laughing along with the conversation much more than he would have thought. Every so often Posey's eyes would flicker towards his, and her smile would deepen and her eyes brighten, and he couldn't help but grin back.

Suddenly James got to his feet, and called in his usual quiet yet commanding way:

"Excuse me, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to propose a toast."

Everyone fell silent, looking expectantly up at the doctor, Jude doing so with slightly raised eyebrows. He always found toasts rather pretentious. Then again, most toasts he was accustomed to were usually performed by the heavily intoxicated.

"200 years ago," Began James, looking around at the small group seated around the table, "The world was changed forever, and along with it all of humanity underwent its own transformation. It's been said that the worst of times bring out the best in people, and I can think of no better example of that phrase than those gathered here."

Everyone except Posey and Jude looked down modestly, with pleased smiles on thier faces. Posey watched her father bright eyes and a slight smile, and even Daniel looked a little less pissy than usual.

"Everyone seated here has made sacrifices," Continued James, "all for the sake of the greater good. This Project... God knows it hasn't had an easy track. But it will all be worth it. And it's all thanks to you , it's dedicated members. I'd like to thank you all, and in particular, I'd like to thank my daughter, Posey."

Posey flushed bright pink, right up to the tips of her ears as everyone in the table looked towards her.

"Without whom none of us would be here," Said James with a fond smile, "and I for one, would still be stuck in a homicidal maniac's delusional alternate reality, and Megaton would still be living under the threat of atomic annihilation. So, to Project Purity, and to Posey."

All the diners raised their glasses, repeating James' words. Posey's gaze fell on Jude, still flushing and he felt half his mouth lift in a smile as he returned her look and silently raised his own glass. She smiled and bit her lip, letting her eyes drop.

"I really didn't do much," Protested a still blushing Posey. "Really, if it weren't for Jude-"

"I didn't have anything to do with the bomb or those Tranquility Loungers." He said, shaking his head. "That was all you, Blondie."

She looked back up at him and Jude felt that dangerous stir in his chest again, that fierce spark that hovered between exhilarating and painful as Posey's lips curled up in a slow smile, despite having been split open mere hours before.

James had taken his seat again and there was more chatter filling the room again but it was meaningless to him, and his interest in the half finished stew in front of him vanished. All he could think about was the way Posey's hair fell over her shoulders and the way her eyes would meet his every so often. Suddenly, if it were even possible, Posey perked up and brightened further, finally tearing her gaze away from him and looking towards the radio that had been playing quietly the whole evening, which was now spouting out one of Three Dog's instrumental tracks.

"I love this song!" Cried Posey. She abandoned her own dinner and lept to her feet, running around the table to where he sat and pulling on his arm. "Come on, Jude!"

"Come on, what?" He asked, laughing slightly at her fruitless attempts to move him.

"Well we gotta see if you're a better than Freddie Gomez, don't we?" Asked Posey, raising an eyebrow and giving him a wicked little smile. "You said I could pick the time and the place. Well, I pick right here and right now."

Jude felt a sudden rush of heat towards his neck and head as a slight titter rippled through the table. He could practically  _feel_ Daniel rolling his eyes.

"Right now?" He asked under his breath, and Posey's eyes positively danced with mirth.

"No time like the present, Colorado." She said smoothly, and her eyes were so blue, no other colors present there, only different shades, and the dimple in her cheek seemed to wink at him as she gave him that maddeningly slow smile.

Jude found himself on his feet before he really realized what was going on, his knee jostling the table top in his haste and Posey was dragging him to the open area beyond the long table, in front of the door to the basement and the Rotunda, closer to the radio resting on the floor. Jude's heart pounded in his chest and he realized something with horrible, sudden clarity.

He had  _no_ idea how to dance.

"Blondie," He said nervously, "I-I-I really,"

"Shush." Said Posey with a smile and Jude swallowed hard. She must have showered while he was out, because her hair was smooth and tangle free, devoid of the dirt and blood that had been matting it before, and the smell of the soap she'd snagged from the Vault was heady in his nose. Light, sweet and completely foreign.

"I don't know how to dance!" He said, his voice low and frantic and his eyes wide.

"It's okay, I can show you. You just do what feels good. Come on."

She took his hand and Jude felt goose bumps erupt up his arm. She guided his other hand to her waist and left it there, right on the curve of where her ribs ended. He could feel the fabric of her dress bunching under his rough hand, the soft fabric catching at his calluses, and he blinked hard, taking a steadying breath.

"And my hand goes here." She said, placing it on his shoulder. It felt so solid, so warm and so utterly  _alive_ that it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Now," She said, arching a brow and smiling up at him. "We dance."

 

Jude had been closer to Posey before, physically. When he'd tackled her on the way to Vault 112, (not one of his finer moments, but he'd had to take quick action.) and on that same journey, while he'd been about to fall asleep in the back of that old truck, he'd felt her curl into him, seeking warmth. Not to mention those two  _almost_ moments they'd had. But this...this was something he'd never experienced before.

Posey took the lead, telling him where to place his feet and on what counts, and though he stumbled along, trying desperately not to step on her toes, he could feel his lips tugging into a smile as he looked down at his feet, and his previous nerves dissipated slightly. He hardly noticed when James pulled a protesting Doctor Li to the floor, and Garza lead a blushing Janice out moments later.

"Wow," Said Posey with a laugh as Jude stumbled again. "You are  _not_ better than Freddie Gomez."

"I told you!" Cried Jude, exasperated, "I don't know how to dance."

"Well for one, stop looking at your feet." Chided Posey. "You're suppose to look at your partner."

Jude looked up with a scowl that instantly faded when he saw the lightness of Posey's teasing smile and the flash of her blue eyes.

"Don't think about it too much." She said, squeezing his hand. "You're not being graded." 

"I'm not very good at not thinking about things." He said a little breathlessly, and Posey shook her head, looking up at him with a smile.

"Just listen." She insisted, nodding at the radio. "Listen, and let go."

And so, he did.

He let himself go, possibly for the first time in his life. The only thing grounding him, the only thing that made anything else seem real was the feeling of Posey's hand in his and her laugh in his ear as she leaned forward, resting her forehead on his shoulder. Someone had turned the music up, and he could feel the beat of it thumping along like a second heartbeat and he couldn't help the grin slowly sidling up onto his face. His steps grew lighter, less forced as he bobbed along to the rhythm. He released one of Posey's hands and she spun away from him, laughing in delight as her hair and skirt fanned out around her. She spun back into him, stumbling over the uneven tile with a little gasp, but he managed to catch her before she fell.

He could feel her laughter resonating through her entire frame as he carefully set her back on her feet.

"Look at that." She said quietly. "Seems like you're always around to catch me, every time I fall." She reached up and brushed back a hank of hair he hadn't even realized had fallen onto his forehead. He felt lightheaded, a better sort of buzz than he could ever get from any booze or drug he could ever try.

"You better hope I stick around then," He managed, smirking slightly. "Or else you better learn to stop falling."

"Sometimes you gotta fall before you fly." She said with a shrug.

"You plan on flying anytime soon?" He asked, his voice low, keeping his eyes fixed on her.

Posey smiled up at him again, and Jude wanted to memorize every little detail of her face, and he wanted to know how her dimple would feel under his lips. His whole body seemed suddenly composed entirely of nerve endings, electricity dancing up his spine and Jude wondered how long he'd been living without ever having felt alive.

Posey smiled and brought her hand up from his shoulder to the back of his neck. "Only if you're there to catch me if I fall."

* * *

Mister Burke didn't like waiting. He hated lines and red tape. He hated having to 'take turns'. And right now, he hated having to wait for this imbecile in front of him to gather his wits about him. The man was stuttering and trembling so bad, it was a miracle he hadn't wet his cheap suit. Which Burke was at least thankful for. That was the last thing his office needed.

"I-I-I," Blubbered the man, "what I mean to say, sir is, I know that you, um, that you must-"

"You don't have the girl." Said Burke flatly, and the man in front of him winced, kneading the rim of his flattened hat in his hands.

"N-n-no sir, b-b-but I do know where she is!"

Burke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb and resting his elbow on the arm of his desk chair.

"I don't give a damn about where she is, idiot!" He snapped, "What I wanted was her to be  _here_. I sent three,  _three_ , men after one slip of a girl and a surly scavenger from a cess pit and all I get in return is  _you_. I didn't ask for  _you_ , Stevens."

"I know that sir, and I'm real sorry. I underestimated her, but she's gonna be in Rivet City for awhile! She's there workin' on some kind of project. I heard her and the scavenger talkin' about it."

"Project?" Said Burke irritably. "What project?"

Really, this girl was turning about to be much more trouble than she was worth. If it weren't a matter of pride now, he might have just let her go. To hell with it. But, no one got to cross him and get away with it. Especially after the stunt she pulled.

"Couldn't really tell." Said Stevens, still obsessively kneading his hat's brim. "She and her old man are working on it. Some kind of Potomac purifying thing."

Burke froze, slowly lifting his head from his hands and looking at the stooge in front of him with a suddenly much keener interest.

"Where did you say she was?" Asked Burke, leaning forward.

"Rivet City, sir." Said Stevens, his adam's apple bobbing nervously as he swallowed hard.

"But they were leaving the city?" Confirmed Burke, and Stevens nodded hurriedly.

"They kept comin' and goin' out of some old memorial building on the bank of the Potomac. It's where the lab was set up for their project, I think." The man brightened suddenly, "I remember the name now! Yeah, it was Project-"

"Project Purity." Finished Burke, settling back against his chair, drumming his fingers against his desk and feeling his lips twitch up in a slow smile. "Bennett...Of course. Why didn't I connect the two earlier?"

"Uh, sir?" Asked Stevens nervously, but Burke ignored him.

"So they're at it again, are they?" He murmured with a chuckle. "Oh, this is so much better than I realized."

"Am I dismissed, sir?"

Without looking up, Burke pulled his silenced pistol from a drawer in his desk and shot the faulty hitman directly through the heart.

"Yes, Stevens." He said thoughtfully as the man crumpled, his other staff members quickly jumping forward and dragging the gurgling man away before he could bleed onto his rug. "You're dismissed."

Once he was alone in his office, he reached for his phone. Really, it was more like a radio or a walkie talkie, considering there were only three people it could connect to, but no matter. Three was plenty. He listened to the static into the receiver, reclining back in his chair and drumming his fingers against his knee. When his call finally connected, Burke cried:

"Ah, Colonel! So glad to get a hold of you. I have some news." He paused, listening to the other man while picking at a loose thread on his otherwise impeccable suit.

"Oh yes, Colonel." He said, smiling to himself. "I promise it will be worth the visit. I have a little proposition for you."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, also some total fluff because I am a fluff addict. I don't need help though, I can stop anytime I want. *nervous twitch* But hey, I hope there is sufficient action to balance it out! Two fist fights and a mysterious phone call. I'd say that qualifies!
> 
> Thanks to my reviewers, you guys are the best! This chapter's song is by Bright Eyes and you guys should look up the music video because it's super adorable. Much cuter and less scarring than the last music video I suggested. But let's be honest, who doesn't love a little bit of creepy? I mean, you're reading a Fallout story. You have to love a little (or a lottle) bit of creepy.
> 
> Farewell!
> 
> xoxoxo
> 
> Living Pretty


	17. Bad Moon Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I see the bad moon arising.  
> I see trouble on the way.  
> I see earthquakes and lightnin'.  
> I see bad times today.
> 
> Don't go around tonight,  
> Well, it's bound to take your life,  
> There's a bad moon on the rise.
> 
> I hear hurricanes ablowing.  
> I know the end is coming soon.  
> I fear rivers over flowing.  
> I hear the voice of rage and ruin.
> 
> Don't go around tonight,  
> Well, it's bound to take your life,  
> There's a bad moon on the rise.

 

* * *

Posey

It was remarkable how quickly the days blended into weeks, and how quickly Posey forgot that she was on the hit list of one of the Wasteland's most dangerous and influential inhabitants. But no move came from Mister Burke. No hitmen, no threatening notes, and soon Posey found her thoughts whisked away from her status as a marked man, or woman, rather. Jude, determined that they wouldn't be caught off guard again, began to coach Posey in all of the fighting tactics he'd picked up from Wasteland Warriors. He'd said before a she was quick study, but she wasn't sure that it applied to the more physical side of learning how to get out of a choke hold.

But Jude was adamant, not to mention, a very diligent teacher. He'd time her on how long it took her reload her gun, encouraging her to be faster, more accurate. He took her out onto the floor where they'd danced together and wasted no time getting down to the basics of hand to hand combat. He'd spar with her until she was exhausted, then urge her to keep moving, because there was no way in hell a talon company merc was gonna care if her feet hurt. As the days went by, he started to surprise her, pulling her into gentle yet firm holds as she walked past to go brush her teeth, or record data for her dad, asking her how to get out of it. He stopped doing that however once she busted his lip open, when he caught her off guard when she was coming back from Rivet City for a supply run. Posey felt incredibly guilty but Jude had grinned at her, blood dripping off his chin as he said: "Not too shabby, Blondie."

He still insisted on sparring with her though, which is what they were doing now, while Doctor Li and her team were away working in the hydroponics lab in Rivet City. On those days, there was very little work that got accomplished and her father would get anxious and grumpy. It was always best to let him bury himself in old notes when that happened.

"You're gonna be smaller than most opponents." Said Jude matter of factly as they stood, facing each other in their makeshift sparring ring. He reminded her of that constantly."And, no offense, probably not as strong."

"None taken." Panted Posey, brushing back the wisps of hair that had come loose from her braid. "Although you don't have to make a point of that every time." She was bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet, clasping her hands behind her back, and trying not to appear too anxious or out of breath.

"Settle down, Blondie." Said Jude, half his mouth twisting up in a smirk. "You're not getting graded on this." He said, echoing her words from before.

"Yeah, until I run into another bunch of thugs." Said Posey, fiddling anxiously with the end of her braid.

"That's why we're doing this now," Said Jude patiently, "So if you do run into anyone else, you can pass the kick ass exam with flying colors. Now," He stepped back, holding his arms out, "if I were to charge at you like a Raider would, what's your first instinct?"

"Depends," Said Posey, "do you have a tire iron or a gun?"

Jude thought for a moment, "Tire iron." He decided,

"If I didn't have my gun on me, I'd run."

"That's actually a really good plan." Said Jude with a nod. "You're pretty speedy, and honestly, if someone with a gun comes at you and you have nothing, if they're far enough away your best bet is to run. Hitting a moving target is hard. Really hard. Most people are pretty poor shots. And if they're not trained hit men and you make it difficult for them to chase you down, most of the time they'll decide it isn't worth it. But, we're not really worried about your average raider. So, new scenario."

"Okay," Said Posey nervously. "new scenario."

"I'm one of Burke's guys. Close quarter combat." He stepped up closer. "Now, assuming you can't get to your gun." He said looking down at her. "What're you going to do?"

"Hit you. In the throat"

"Good," Said Jude nodding, "always go for the throat or the nose. How do you hit me?"

"How? With my fist."

"No no," He said, shaking his head. He reached down and brought her hand up and ran his thumb over the heel of her hand. "This, right here. Remember? Use this. Always use the heel, and that goes for when you're kicking something too. And if you're hitting something, step back a little with one foot." He did so, planting his foot behind him. "You can push off the ground and throw all you've got into it. Really, when you're back is against the wall, you gotta go all out. This is a no rules kind of fight club. Don't worry about injury when you're fighting back, it's probably gonna happen, but you just have to remember one thing."

"It's me or them." Said Posey quietly and Jude nodded.

"I've seen some pretty crazy fights." Stated Jude. "I've seen guys throw punches over everything and anything and they turn ugly real fast, but one of the worst ones I've ever seen was a girl against a Slaver. It was in Rivet City, in the galley. I was at Flak's stall when I heard the fight start, and let me tell you, that Slaver would have been dead if the guards hadn't intervened. She wasn't very big either, but she went all out. You need to go all out."

"Okay, but-"

"When guys fight," Interrupted Jude. " it's usually over something dumb. To impress a girl, or show who's the 'Real Man' of the joint. When girls fight," Jude shook his head, "it's usually for their life, because the world is a shitty place. It's fierce and it's to the death and believe me when I say this. Girls are deadly. You can handle yourself, Blondie."

"I just don't know if I'm going to be able to remember all this stuff if I do get backed into a corner or something." She fretted.

"What're you talking about? Of course you'll remember." He stepped back, "You're a real egghead, remember? Just make every move count."

"Practical and powerful." Repeated Posey, nodding and Jude grinned.

"Atta girl." He said, nodding. "But you already know all this. I've told it to you dozens of times. Why are you nervous all of the sudden?"

Posey let out a sigh and finally stilled, settling back on her feet and letting her shoulders slump.

"I dunno, I'm not  _nervous_  exactly." She said, "It's just...We've come to kind of a standstill with Project Purity, and I know how frustrating that is for my dad, and I just..." She blew her wispy hair out of her face with a frustrated huff. 

"The weather is weird!" She burst out, and Jude drew his head back slightly scrunching his eyebrows down in confusion.

"What?"

"The weather," Continued Posey, gesturing towards the exit of the memorial. "It's cloudy and you can hear thunder and see lightning but it never does anything! My dad is frustrated and I've been out of the Vault for nearly three months but I feel like I just crawled out of there yesterday. I can't  _do_ anything for Project Purity."

"What're you talking about, Blondie?" Said Jude, "Without you, there wouldn't  _be_ a Project Purity, and your dad would still be a German Shepard."

"But," Said Posey and Jude held up a hand, sending her into a begrudging silence.

"Come on." He said, stepping past her and heading for the exit. "Let's go."

"Go where?" She asked dully, and Jude gave her a smile but kept quiet, leading the way out of the pillared room, through the gift shop and out of the Memorial entirely.

The second they opened the door there was a low rumble of thunder and Posey looked up at the rolling gray clouds above them.

"What are we doing out here?" She asked as the wind tugged at her clothes and pulled her already frizzy hair out of its braid.

"Taking in the view." He said, tilting his chin up and looking at the clouds above him. "It never rains in the Wasteland you know. But we still get thunder and lightning." He looked back down at her with a grin. "Pretty neat, huh?"

Posey watched the swirling cumulus above them flicker with menacing light and felt goosebumps erupt across her arms.

"You think this is neat?" She inquired incredulously, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah!" Laughed Jude, raising his voice slightly above another peal of thunder. "It's just noise and light. It's not gonna hurt you."

"Lightning  _can_  hurt you." Argued Posey as Jude walked over to the metal ramp that lead up to the walkways snaking around the memorial building.

"Only if it comes down." Countered Jude as she followed along behind him. "But it stays up in the clouds, at least I've never seen it hit anything."

"That is a really horrible basis to a claim." She said,

"Relax, Blondie." He called, pausing and leaning against the railing of the catwalk, looking out over the river. "We'll be fine."

Posey joined him, looking down at the murky waters of the Potomac, wrinkling her nose slightly as its smell washed over them. They were standing directly above the enormous pipes that jutted out over the river and would, theoretically, bring the scummy water up and through the purifier before spewing it back into its bed, flushing the cloudy, irradiated stuff away.  _Theoretically_ being the operative word there.

"Come on, Blondie you gotta admit that's cool." He said, nudging her with his shoulder and pointing up to a sheet of lightning flashing across the horizon, momentarily silhouetting the figure of Rivet City.

"It's spooky." Said Posey, though she was smiling.

"It's  _cool_." Corrected Jude. "Listen." He held up a hand as there was a peal of rumbling thunder that rattled the walkway beneath their feet. Posey jumped and latched onto Jude's arm as the railing settled again. She could feel Jude laughing and she looked up and saw him smiling up at the clouds again, his eyes bright.

"You really like thunderstorms." She stuttered, her voice warbling slightly.

"I do." Affirmed Jude, looking back down at her with a grin. "I use to be scared of them when I was a kid, but...I guess I've come to appreciate them."

"Can we appreciate them from a slightly more stable location?" Asked Posey as a gust of wind rushed over the two of them, buffeting her closer to Jude. "Please?" She added, closing her eyes tight.

He chuckled, but he was drowned out by another crack of thunder. "Sure." He said, slinging an arm around her shoulders as another gust blew over them. He pulled her a little closer, shielding her against the wind before they descended the walkway, angling for the Memorial. To her surprise, she saw Doctor Li and her team making their way towards the memorial, similarly struggling against the eddies of wind.

"What are you doing back so early?" Posey called once Doctor Li was in shouting distance.

"I've got news." Cried Doctor Li, her voice sounding tinny and far away as it was carried off by the wind. "First, let's get out of this abominable wind."

Once inside of the memorial, Doctor Li turned immediately to Posey and said brightly, despite her ruffled appearance:"Go find your father, I've got great news."

Posey straightened up, a grin quickly growing on her face. "Is it the fuses?" She asked, leaning forward, "Did your people-"

"Go find James," Insisted Doctor Li, though she herself was smiling much brighter than Posey had ever seen her. "I want to tell everyone at the same time."

Posey let out an excited laugh before she could stop herself and gave Jude one shining look before turning and running down the hall, nearly falling as she rounded the corner and vaulting over the sandbag barrier still slumped in the room with the gift shop.

"Dad!" She called, clattering down the stairs of the basement. "Dad! Doctor Li is back! She says she's got good news!"

"She what?"

Her father poked his head out of the door to his room, eyes red rimmed and hair wild, like always when he was frustrated. He tended to run his hands through his hair a lot when he was stressed.

"She's back from Rivet City." Said Posey breathlessly, "She says she has big news!"

"Is it the fuses?" He asked, his eyes growing wide as he stepped completely out of his room, taking Posey by the shoulders. "Did her people find the fuses?"

"I dunno!" Said Posey, laughing at the almost comical look on her father's face. "She wants to tell you herself. Come on!"

Together they rushed up the stairs, bursting into the pillared room where Doctor Li and the rest were seated around the table.

"Madison!" Cried her father as she got to her feet, brushing down her lab coat and skirt, wearing a wide smile. "Madison is it-"

"They found them." Announced Doctor Li with a grin. "James, they found them. In the Commonwealth, they-"

But the rest of her sentence was drowned out by a whoop of joy as James rushed forward and swept her into a hug, pressing a swift kiss to her cheek.

"Really James," Protested Doctor Li, blushing, but he was too ecstatic to pay any mind to her as he turned to Posey, laughing brightly and throwing his arms around her as well and hugging her with such exuberance she was lifted off her feet. Posey laughed in delight and squeezed him back just as fiercely, feeling his whiskers tickle her ear as he drew back and twirled her around the room.

"They've found them!" He crowed. "Oh, wonderful news! Where are they!"

"They'll be in Rivet City tomorrow." Said Doctor Li, straightening her lab coat and still looking flushed.

"Tomorrow!" Laughed James, "Oh, tomorrow! What a fantastic day!"

"What time, tomorrow?" Asked Jude over the exclamations of delight with a slight smile twisting his lips.

"They expect just before noon." Said Doctor Li. "We should send a team to meet them."

"Send a team?!" Cried James in shock, "We should host a  _gala_  for them!"

"I think that's a little outside our budget." Said Posey with a grin. "Jude and I can go meet them if you like. I think we should go to be sure nothing happens to the fuses, in case someone tries to pull something."

"A great plan." Said James, "I'll go as well, I want to personally thank them. Madison?"

"I'll stay here," Said Doctor Li, "Make sure everything is ready for advancement."

"What should we do right now?" Asked Posey, checking her Pip-Boy for the time. It was a four thirty, and she knew the next ten hours were going to be torturous for her father. Tortuous in the same way Christmas Eve was to a child eager to meet Santa Claus.

"Now?" Asked James with a grin. "Now we celebrate. Because after tomorrow, my dear, we put our noses to the grindstones. After tomorrow," He beamed, "Well, nothing will ever be the same again."

* * *

Doctor Li had brought champagne. Where on earth she'd scrounged it up was a mystery. The radio was playing, Three Dog WAS warning them about Talon Company Mercenaries, and Jude was smiling at her as there was a distant echo of thunder. Garza said something low to Janice, who blushed and giggled, and her father's eyes were shining as he and Doctor Li spoke, Alex listening animatedly. Posey felt a lightness in her chest, and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Hey Blondie," Said Jude, his voice low, the barest grate to it. "I think they're playing your favorite song."

"This is Butcher Pete, Jude." Said Posey with a laugh, "I hate this song."

"Dance with me anyway." He murmured and Posey could feel herself blushing.

"Are you drunk?" She asked, arching an eyebrow. Jude's cheeks did look a little rosy but he shook his head,

"Not even a little bit." He said with a smile.

Posey bit her lip and allowed him to lead her to the clear area where they'd been sparring just hours before, and they started swinging along to the quick beat of the rather gruesome song, both of them laughing, Posey at Jude's rather ungainly movements, and Jude just because he couldn't help but join in. Once that song had ended, Janice and Garza had joined them, as had Anna and Alex and Posey laughed in delight as Jude twirled her along to the tune of Swing Doors, while she heard an amused voice ask,

"Mind if I cut in?"

Posey smiled as Jude stepped back and let her father take his place.

"A bit different from the Vault's jukebox in the dining hall, isn't it?" He asked with a smile as they danced. "And I'd ask if you try to avoid standing on my feet this time."

"I can dance on my own now, Dad." Said Posey, rolling her eyes and smiling.

"I know that, you're rather good at it too." He said, raising his eyebrows. "Freddie Gomez really did teach you something, or perhaps it's just your mother's genes. She was an excellent dancer."

"Oh please," Posey rolled her eyes, "Freddie only danced with me  _once_."

"His loss." James shrugged and Posey grinned.

"I'm really happy for you, Dad." She said, smiling earnestly. "I mean, for Project Purity too, but I know what it means to you. And hitting all those walls,"

"Water under the bridge." He said with a gentle smile. "Tomorrow, a fresh start. Tomorrows are always fresh starts, but this one especially."

"You really think everything is going to change, after tomorrow?" She asked as they twirled across the floor.

"Most definitely," He said confidently. "perhaps not all at once, but it will definitely be the spark that's going to really set this project blazing."

"I don't think I've ever seen you this excited about anything." Said Posey with another laugh.

"There have been few occasions where I have been this excited." Conceded James, "You were too young to remember most of them, or else not born yet. For instance, when your mother agreed to marry me, that was a good day. A very exciting day. Then, when she told me she was pregnant. Not to mention your first word, I was very excited for that. I'd been trying to get you to speak for so long."

"What was my first word?" Asked Posey,

"Duck." Said her father with a twinkle in his eye and Posey shook her head.

"Eloquent." She said with a smile.

"From the very start." Agreed her father with a grin. "Jonas was holding you at the time, reading you that farm book you liked so much, while I was filing patient reports in the office. He was just as ecstatic as I was. You were a very quiet child, and then once you started talking, it was in nearly complete sentences. I guess you were just waiting for the right time."

"And I thought duck would be the right one to start out with, huh?" Joked Posey,

"You were an old soul, right from the beginning." Said James with a smile. "Sensitive, and stubborn. My goodness, you were  _stubborn_. And your temper." He let out a low whistle. "It was fierce."

"What's this 'was' business?" Teased Posey

James shook his head, still smiling. "I remember now," He said slowly, "you use to clench your fists so tight when you were angry, you'd leave sores on your palm. Never heard of a child doing that before."

Posey bit her lip and looked down, suddenly very interested in the pattern on the tile below them.

"You don't  _still_ do that, do you?" Asked James aghast, suddenly stopping their dancing and turning her hand over. He ran his thumb over the tiny, white half moons punctured into her skin, then looked up at her reproachfully, "Posey-"

"It's been a stressful couple of months." Said Posey defensively, closing her fingers over her scars. "I haven't done it in a long time."

"I'd hoped you would have grown out of that habit." Said James, looking from her closed hand up to her face. "Why would you hurt yourself like that?"

"I don't mean to." Said Posey with a shrug, "I just get-"

"Angry." Finished James quietly, and Posey nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. "Posey, promise me you'll stop that. It's a deplorable habit. Anger doesn't do anything for anybody. Even if you think it's righteous anger.  _Especially_  if you think it's righteous anger."

"But-"

"Promise?" He said, tilting his chin down while simultaneously tilting her chin gently up, and forcing her to meet his gaze.

"I promise." Said Posey quietly, and James searched her face for a moment before slowly beginning their simple swaying once again.

"When you first started speaking," He began, carefully guiding them past the other dancers. "you use to ask me if I was happy."

"Were you happy in the Vault?" She asked, "I never even asked when I was older. You never seemed to be  _un_ happy."

"Well, I had bad days." Said her father with a shrug. "Days when I missed your mother so much I felt paralyzed. Days when I wanted to feel the sun on my skin again. Days where I wanted to wring the Overseer's pretentious, pompous neck but," He smiled down at her, "even on my worst days, I always had you. Even when you were being a little terror, which believe me, there were  _many_ of those days."

Posey scowled and James laughed, "But you would always give me that little smile, and crawl up in my lap, tell me all about your adventures at the end of the day before you went to sleep. Quite the imagination."

Posey smiled gently, "I  _knew_ I was your favorite daughter." She said triumphantly. James chuckled and eased to a stop as they danced.

"Yes indeed." He said warmly, stepping back and giving her a smile. "Well, it's late, I suppose I ought to let Mr. Hiller have you back for the last dance."

"You should go get some sleep." She said, " _Real_  sleep," She continued, giving him a meaningful look. "Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

"Yes, it is." He agreed, "So don't dance the night away, Cinderella. You'll turn into a pumpkin at midnight."

"I'm no Cinderella," Laughed Posey. James simply gave her a smile and left, after a quick:

"Goodnight, Posey."

"Night, Dad."

 

She turned back around and saw that most of the others had left as well, except for Jude, who was seated on the sagging sofa, his arms draped over the back and looking thoughtful.

"Penny for your thoughts." She said softly, taking a seat on the end of the couch and bringing her knees up to her chest. "Or rather a cap, I suppose."

Jude's lips twitched in a smirk though his gaze still remained far away and out of focus.

"It's nothin', Blondie." He said, looking over at her at last. "It's just you don't see many healthy father daughter relationships out in the Wastes. I guess you could say I was observing, for scientific purposes."

"Well, you haven't been taking any notes." Said Posey, raising her eyebrows and stretching her legs out on the couch in front of her, resting her booted feet in his lap.

"Don't need to." He said, tapping his temple. "I've got it all up here."

"Faulty recording equipment." Said Posey with a smile. "Memories tend to fade, or else we sugar coat them, and buff away the sharp edges. Or sometimes make them sharper."

"Not me." Said Jude, shaking his head and moving his arms down from the back of the couch, folding his arms across her shins. "I have a good memory. Too good."

"What  _is_ your earliest memory?" She asked, settling back more comfortably against the couch.

"I dunno," Said Jude, "probably something from when I was a kid. Just because I have a good memory doesn't mean I want to go digging around back there. I've got some scary stuff squirreled away."

"I think my earliest memory," Said Posey slowly, trying to gloss over the awkward situation she almost caused. "Huh... I don't know. No, actually, I do. I was pretending to read something to my dad, out of one of his medical journals, and I have no idea what I actually said, some off the wall thing that kids say, and my dad laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes. So I just kept saying it, over and over again and he just kept laughing, then the power went out and I don't think I'd ever been so scared in my life. I mean, I was probably four years old, but still."

"Did the power go out a lot down there?" Asked Jude, looking back at her.

"No." She shook her head, "But for a while, when I was around seven, it would go off at least once a week for a few hours. I didn't have my Pip-Boy yet so I didn't have a flashlight and I'd be off playing and then suddenly it would be pitch black. I remember once, Amata and I had a fight over something stupid that kids fight over, and I ran off to one of the lower levels so no one could see me cry when the power went out. It was out for five hours, and I was terrified."

"Did your dad find you?"

"Eventually, yeah. But actually, Butch and I found each other first."

"Oh, good ol' Butch." Said Jude with a smile.

"Yep, good ol' Butch." Said Posey, smiling wryly. "He was down there to get away from his mom, and we nearly scared the pants off each other, but we stuck together, and eventually my dad found us, huddled together on top of some old storage crates."

"And that's when it all started," Said Jude dramatically, "your secret romance with the Vault's resident bad boy, Butch Deloria."

"If I weren't so tired I'd punch you." Said Posey with a scowl.

"If you're tired why aren't you in bed?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"Because that requires effort." Yawned Posey, snuggling deeper into the musty cushions.

"What, you gonna sleep up here? Because that was my plan, and I was here first."

"Why are you going to sleep on the couch?" Asked Posey with a slight frown. There was the slightest rumble of thunder and Jude grinned, pointing to the roof.

"That's why." He said, and Posey shook her head.

"You are an odd man, Mr. Hiller." She remarked. "Very odd."

"Coming from the girl who once tried to get a closer look at a Deathclaw, then later in the same day, screamed bloody murder when a radroach flapped its wings at her."

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?" She asked, and Jude shook his head,

"Not in this lifetime, Blondie." He smirked. Posey rolled her eyes but was silent for a moment, listening to the muted peals of distant thunder. Jude did the same, leaning back against the couch and looking up at the ceiling. He was quiet for so long, Posey nearly dropped off to sleep, but she finally heard his voice, low and soft, "You wanna know my earliest memory?"

Posey looked at his profile, illuminated by the still faintly buzzing overhead lights. He was so still, not even an eyelash twitched.

"Yeah." Said Posey, in not quite a whisper, but something just above one.

He was silent, and Posey watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. His eyelashes fluttered as he blinked.

"Watching dry thunderstorms with my mom." He said at last.

The overhead lights suddenly went out and Posey jumped, but she felt Jude's reassuring hand over her knee.

"It's alright, they're on a timer." He said, his voice rumbling out of the darkness. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden black, and when they did, she could see Jude hadn't moved an inch, except for his hand on her knee. All she could really see was the barest hint of his outline against the solid black around him, and the dull green glow of her Pip-Boy highlighting the bottom of his jaw,

"Your mom liked thunderstorms?" She asked quietly.

She saw Jude's outline dip as he nodded.

"She'd always go outside when one came around. They're not very common, except in late summer. She'd always stop whatever she was doing, and go watch them. She'd take me with, and say that God was putting on a light show, just for us."

"She believed in God?" Said Posey in slight surprise. That was unusual, out in the Wasteland. She knew her own mother had been religious, but she was definitely in the minority.

"Oh yeah." Said Jude, his voice a little more gruff than usual. "Taught me how to read out of the Bible. Made me say my prayers, every morning and every night."

"What happened to her?" whispered Posey. In the dark, she felt even more necessary to be quiet.

"Nothing good." Said Jude, and she heard his breathing hitch, and he cleared his throat, shifting slightly on the couch. She felt his hand leave her knee and heard it rub down his face, scratching the stubble there. The place where his hand had been suddenly was freezing. "Which wasn't fair.  _Isn't_ fair." He muttered, "She made everything good, even my piss poor excuse of a dad was worth something around her."

She sat up, swinging her legs off his lap.

"Where are you?" She asked, getting carefully to her feet and taking a hesitant step forward.

"What kind of a question is that?" He asked, and his voice was steady but still gravely. "You were just using me as a foot rest."

"I don't trust too sudden of movements on that couch." Said Posey, stretching her arms out in front of her and inching towards his voice.

"What are you-"

Her fingers encountered stubble, rough and hard under her skin.

"Don't poke my eye out, Blondie." Came his voice, and she could feel his breath on her wrist.

"I won't. I just..." She faltered, feeling suddenly foolish. "I just thought you might want..."

"Want what?"

She didn't know. Above them, thunder rumbled across the sky.

"C'mere." He murmured, and she felt his hand on her wrist, slowly pulling her down onto the couch next to him.

He was warm, and she could feel the soft cotton of his tee shirt against her arm.

"Your fingers are cold." He said. "Let me see."

She held out her hands, and in the dim light of her Pip-Boy, she could see him a little better this close. In the already green light of her Pip-Boy, Jude's eyes were unearthly. He took her hands in his, chaffing them together to warm them up.

"Do you miss her?" Posey asked quietly.

What a stupid question. Of course he missed her.

"I don't know." He said, looking down at her hands in front of him. "I spent so much time training myself not to think about her. I...I forget, sometimes." His voice caught and Posey bit her lip.

"Makes me a pretty terrible son, doesn't it?" He said thickly.

"No." Said Posey feverishly, shaking her head. "You're not a terrible anything, Jude."

"You don't know that." He muttered, "You don't, really."

"Well, you're not a  _great_ dancer." admitted Posey quietly, "But you just need some practice."

Jude snorted and took a deep breath.

"Your fingers feel better?" He asked, still holding them.

"They're much warmer, thank you."

"You're welcome."

She was quiet for a moment, and she could see barely Jude, still looking down at her hands, once again using his thumb to trace the back of them. She could feel his other fingers, brushing the inside of her wrist.

"Jude," She murmured, "I'm-"

His hands were framing her face. She had a split second to process the warmth of them, to feel the callouses there before he was kissing her.

No one had ever been as warm as Jude was. No one had ever been as alive as she in that moment as she as Jude moved his lips slowly against hers, his hands slipping from her face to cradle the back of her head. Warmth spread from her lips, searing across her skin as she brought her hands up to his neck, feeling his pulse thunder under her hand as she ran her fingers through the short hair at the back of his head. She could never recall anyone touching her as gently as he was, careful of his stubble, so it wouldn't scratch her as he kissed her.  _Kissed_ , the word itself sent goose bumps across her skin.

He drew back, his gaze searching, his thumb brushing her cheek. His eyelids half obscured his brilliant green irises, and he looked at her as if she wasn't real. As if she were something magical. Her lips still tingled, and for a moment, she thought perhaps she was.

"I'm sorry." She said, feeling breathless. "About your mom."

"I am too."

Posey undid the latch of her Pip-Boy and set it on the floor near the couch. Jude laid back against the arm, and Posey lay beside him, facing him in the darkness that was so complete, she couldn't see him anymore. But she could feel him. His heart beat steadily beneath her scarred hand.

"Are you going to stay?" He asked, and she could feel his voice under her palm. Another roll of thunder caused the memorial to tremble.

"Do you want me to?" She murmured, moving her hand up to his face, carefully brushing her finger under his eyelashes.

"Yes."

"Then I will." She said simply, feeling his lashes brush her fingertip as he blinked.

"For how long?"

"As long as I can."

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm a super noob at A03 and I feel like I have a better grip at Fanfiction.net but I thought I'd give this place a shot :) this same fic is located there also, under my same pen name Living Pretty if you prefer their format.


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